Scientists believe the prototype could help reignite interstate travel by assisting in the screening of travellers.
7news.com.au
UTS Researchers were able to develop the 15 minute COVID test. I am really hoping that this will be a game changer with the testing regime that we can roll out domestically first followed by our international arrivals from safe countries that we can allow to open faster.
Remember, we only have 5 months left for many businesses who rely on JobKeeper at the moment. In addition, international students are due to arrive Australia in February/March 2021, which is important for the HE sector to survive. I have already heard rumours of cuts to casuals and permanent staff at various institutions, and we desperately need these students to come back so that we can have a job.
So much spin about 'International Student numbers' & universities crying poor etc etc.
DFAT revealed the numbers a few days ago and, to me, they are nowhere near as bad as the Education lobby has made out. From memory (heard the figures in a news report) there were over 680,000 international students enrolled in Australia in August, a decline of 21% on the figures for August 2019 or around 180,000. The report then added that there was a decline in anticipated enrolments for 2020 due to sustained negative publicity in China by the Chinese media.
So the publicised claims of $35bn dollar industry at deaths door (& excuse for Universities to fire many staff) do not match the hard numbers.
Of most concern is the states that haven’t really been ‘tested’ (luckily for them in a way) like NT, Tassie, WA and SA.
There is real worry and questions being asked for example about WA’s ability to respond to an outbreak and perhaps this is the real reason they are being left out...
What you say about WA could not be further from the truth.
WA (& to a lesser extent Qld) have faced the worst battle to stop CV entering due to the hundreds of iron ore, coal, LNG, live animal export & other ships arriving every month. WA (& Qld) have managed to stop a single CV contamination with a pilot, tug or stevedore despite, at times, the entire crew being CV+. There has not really been much publicity about this (I wonder why not?).
If the ban leaving the country is for health grounds... how can they be letting in students?
How is it some citizens and PR holders - those that have been out of Australia for more than half of the previous 12 months - effectively have a revolving pass to leave and enter Australia? With no restrictions other than quarantine.
We need clear and transparent guidelines, and preferably, equality for everyone.
The Federal Govt (and opposition generally) are firm followers of the 'Animal Farm' doctrine:
"
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others!"
It will be interesting to see what the government decides on the priority order.
I know plenty of Australians that aren't too keen on getting the covid vaccination whereas they would for other things. Lots of people still refuse to get the flu vaccination. I know at first there will be shortages but I wonder how long that will last.
I've got my fingers crossed if a vaccine is available by the start of the year that I can get it mid next year.
Let's see, a bit like who's been allowed into Australia in preference to 'vulnerable Australians':
- Contacts
- Future employers
- Friends
- Friends of friends
- Party officials (going on holiday)
- ex-politicians
- Large donors (amazing how so many qualify both by girth & amount donated)
- Potentially useful contacts
- Media contacts who are sympathetic or have large audiences
Then if any left over - medical personnel with a media profile....
I am not a cynic, merely I know too much!
December 2020 ? I wish!
December Approval of Oxford vaccine means Australian maybe get a handful of doses by Jan 2021 for front line workers. Then it takes 2 to3 months to mass manufacture 20 m doses so vaccinations start from about April 2021.
I think if we are relying on vaccine to start international travel, that will be middle of next year. Just hoping some travel opens prior to vaccine
The major sticking point globally is the incredibly low temperatures they must be shipped & stored at prior to use.
"Most vaccines need to be stored within 1 degree Fahrenheit of their ideal temperature. Traditional vaccines are usually stored between 35 degrees Fahrenheit and 46 degrees Fahrenheit, but some of the leading COVID-19 vaccines need to be stored at much colder temperatures. Sep 18, 2020"
So not only is there a massive logistical issue with the sheer volumes, it is even worse in that the tranportation requires a temperature not previously required - so the equipment is not widely available for even 1% of the volume required.
Then add in storage requirements - you will not find many medical centres with either the required volume to store a large number of vaccine single dose vials/syringes let alone have the ability to store it at -73 Celsius etc.
There are not many manufacturers of this incredibly specialised storage equipment (capital equipment makers) as previously there was very limited demand for it. So far I have not seen a single article about any of the maybe 3 or 4 manufacturers in the world - building expanded facilities. Nor has any Govt been out talking up how they've purchased sufficient capacity to cope logisitically.
Sure, as certain drug companies have been stockpiling & enhancing shipping containers to store the vaccines being produced in advance - there is some ability but it is still around less than 1% of required doses. Australia appears still to sign any conract for supply (I may have missed a change but what was initially claimed as a contract was merely a letter of potential intent).
Given the high value of the vaccine - these shipping containers will require secure storage. Not something that even many major hospitals have on a shipping container scale.
CSL's ability to supply appears near zero within Australia as I cannot find any releases announcing the installation of the required specialist equipment. CSL did purchase a company that can produce such vaccine types - only problem is that it is located in the US and its scale is tiny.
Just as people have begin to have CV fatigue & have been neglecting social distancing, wearing masks - the Feds are playing a very dangerous game in providing unrealistic timeframes - domestic border openings, international border opening, vaccine availability, preparedness, etc etc.
Up until very recently the Fed Govt talk was based on the assumption that the vaccines will be 100% effective.
https://theconversation.com/keeping...hard-but-likely-key-to-ending-pandemic-146071