PM says rollout rush ‘very dangerous’ amidst push for jab
PRIME Minister Scott Morrison has condemned calls to speed up a coronavirus vaccine rollout across Australia as “very dangerous”.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration was expected to have at least one vaccine approved by the end of January.
Batches of the vaccine would then be tested ahead of a March rollout among healthcare workers and Australia’s most vulnerable.
But emergency vaccine approvals in the UK and the US, where thousands of new coronavirus cases are being recorded daily, has prompted opposition criticism that Australia’s immunisation timeline is too slow.
Mr Morrison told radio station 3AW yesterday that Australia was not in an emergency and did not have to cut corners.
“The suggestions that I’ve heard about trying to rush this process, I think can be very dangerous,” Mr Morrison said.
“We should let the health officials do their jobs here and do it as swiftly as I know they are doing (and) as safely as Australians would expect.
“I don’t think Australians want us just willy-nilly sending out vials of vaccine that haven’t had their batches tested, which is the normal process.”
Mr Morrison said the highly infectious UK coronavirus strain was still of “great concern” to Australia.
But he said the expert medical panel was not recommending Nnational Cabinet take any new action.
“It is a serious issue but it’s one that has been managed appropriately through quarantine,” Mr Morrison said.
He said most airlines, including Australia’s own repatriation flights, required passengers to get a COVID-19 test before flying.
However, that did not change the risk posed by the virus.
“There have been instances where there’s been complacency by some who have returned,” Mr Morrison said.
“If they’ve had a test before they come, they all of a sudden think that they’re not at risk.
“We want everybody who’s come back to behave as if they’ve got it.”