{"id":9033,"date":"2020-11-06T01:23:22","date_gmt":"2020-11-06T01:23:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/?p=9033"},"modified":"2020-11-06T01:23:22","modified_gmt":"2020-11-06T01:23:22","slug":"australia-well-prepared-for-covid-19-vaccine-rollout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2020\/11\/06\/australia-well-prepared-for-covid-19-vaccine-rollout\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia well prepared for COVID-19 vaccine rollout"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nAustralia is well placed for the rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine, once clinical trials and the regulator has confirmed safety and effectiveness.
\nUnder the Morrison Government\u2019s COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Strategy, Australia has secured 134.8 million doses through advance purchasing agreements with four suppliers: AstraZeneca\/Oxford, University of Queensland\/CSL, Novavax and Pfizer\/BioNTech.
\nIn addition, Australia has access to a further 25 million doses through the COVAX facility.
\nThis is well in excess of covering the entire population of 25 million.
\nAgainst that backdrop, Chris Bowen\u2019s comments are not only patently incorrect, they are weird and irresponsible. Labor clearly can\u2019t add up, in claiming it\u2019s not enough.
\nThe Government has already secured distribution within Australia for the Pfizer mRNA vaccine.
\nIndeed the manufacturer has humiliatingly refuted Chris Bowen\u2019s statement. Sometimes Chris, it is better to remain silent if you have no idea what you are talking about.
\nThe Australian Government continues to undertake thorough planning to ensure the doses Australia receives are kept as safe and secure as possible. The Australian Government continues to prepare for the temperature requirement scenarios for all candidates, including: 2-8 \u00baC, -20\u00baC and -70\u00baC.
\nTenders are being issued today to co-ordinate the distribution of the vaccines across the country to deliver on those requirements.
\nSuppliers that have a proven track record in vaccine logistics and distribution or booking systems, tracking and reporting of vaccines are being invited to participate in this process by limited tender.
\nAustralians know that we have one of the best vaccine distributions in the world, backed up by the latest immunisation rates which have hit a new record.
\nOur Plan is on track for the initial roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination program with in the first quarter of 2021.
\nThe Shadow Minister for Health continues to show how out of his depth he is in understanding the fundamental necessities of securing access to and preparing a national roll-out for world-leading vaccine candidates.
\nIf the Shadow Minister had taken the time to read this morning\u2019s announcement, he would have seen that the Government\u2019s vaccine roadmap is clear, and each agreement has scheduled delivery dates.
\nPreliminary advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation is that the priority groups for the COVID-19 vaccine are those people who are at increased risk of exposure, such as health and aged care workers, the elderly and those working in services critical to societal functioning.
\nAustralia will continue to listen to the advice of the medical experts and act accordingly.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n