Vaccine rollout is falling behind
AUSTRALIA has run days behind its vaccine target but the nation’s top nurse says the goal to vaccinate all adults by October remains on track.
As of Wednesday, 61,000 doses had been given across the country, a goal that Prime Minister Scott Morrison initially predicted would be reached at the end of February.
Chief nursing and midwifery officer Alison Mcmillan said 10,168 vaccinations were completed across the country on Wednesday, bringing the number to 61,000.
“We will see the number increase over the coming weeks and months as we move into this program rollout,” she said on Thursday.
When asked if the rollout was on track to meet the government’s goal of having all adults vaccinated by October, Prof Mcmillan said it was.
“We’re steady. As has been said by many before me, these are complex systems to work through,” she said.
“We knew this rollout would take a number of steps. As you know, it had different stages in it. As the vaccine becomes available we’ll see increased numbers over time, but we’re still focused on that October deadline.”
General practice clinics and pharmacies will join the vaccine rollout in coming weeks.
Defence force personnel will also help health authorities with logistics and planning.
“States and territories are working with the defence force about how best to use that fantastic resource,” Prof Mcmillan said.
Six new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Australia on Wednesday, all of whom were in quarantine. There have been 582 cases this year.
“That is, of course, a significant number less than many countries across the world,” Prof Mcmillan said.
Since the pandemic started, 29,002 people across the country have contracted the virus.
More than 142,000 doses of the Pfizer/biontech COVID-19 vaccine arrived at Sydney airport last month, in a major milestone in Australia’s battle against coronavirus. It was the first shipment of 20 million doses of the vaccine.
About 80,000 doses were released in the first week, with roughly 50,000 vaccines made available for the states and territories for hotel quarantine, border workers and frontline healthcare workers and 30,000 for the Commonwealth aged care and disability rollout.