The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Australia has begun

[HappyFlyerFamily]

AZ is being rolled out to pharmacies and any other GPs willing to take part in the rollout. Scott Morrison made it clear without explicitly stating it that he thinks that the states should start vaccinating any adults that want AZ at mass vaccination hubs if they want it as well.

After training time etc, it will be mid-August before these pharmacies announced today will be actually jabbing.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

After training time etc, it will be mid-August before these pharmacies announced today will be actually jabbing.

Excuse my ignorance. But why so long?

While yes they will need AZ (and later Moderna) specific training, they will already have trained vaccinators and at the chains I would guess that these may be contract staff) due to doing a number of other vaccines including the flu vaccine.

Though potentially the state hubs may have already employed a number of those trained vaccinators.

 

[Pushka]

Excuse my ignorance. But why so long?

While yes they will need AZ (and later Moderna) specific training, they will already have trained vaccinators and at the chains I would guess that these may be contract staff) due to doing a number of other vaccines including the flu vaccine.

Though potentially the state hubs may have already employed a number of those trained vaccinators.

There is covid specific training, even for those nursing personnel who have worked in high level intensive care and previous vaccination experience with the influenza vaccination. Because, well,

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Some figures courtesy of ABC reporting on the PM's press conference today

Almost 40,000 doses of AstraZeneca given to under-40s in less than a month​

Almost 40,000 Australians under the age of 40 have received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in less than a month.

In late June, Prime Minister Scott Morrison encouraged younger people to talk to their GP about getting the AstraZeneca jab.

That's despite official health advice stating Pfizer is the preferred vaccine for people under 40.

Mr Morrison says he's impressed that younger people are protecting themselves against COVID-19.

"So if people wish to do that, they should go and see their GP, of course there is the confirmed conesent process. So just under 40,000 first doses," he said.

Post automatically merged: Jul 22, 2021

Excuse my ignorance. But why so long?

While yes they will need AZ (and later Moderna) specific training, they will already have trained vaccinators and at the chains I would guess that these may be contract staff) due to doing a number of other vaccines including the flu vaccine.

Though potentially the state hubs may have already employed a number of those trained vaccinators.

There is covid specific training, even for those nursing personnel who have worked in high level intensive care and previous vaccination experience with the influenza vaccination. Because, well,

I don't claim to understand the ins and outs....from ABC reporting the PM's press conference

Australian pharmacies will soon be eligible to join AstraZeneca vaccine rollout​

Mr Morrison:

"From next Monday, all community pharmacies across the country will be eligible to request participation in administering AstraZeneca vaccinations to the Australian population," he said.

"We expect to see them commencing their vaccinations in mid-August.

"A process of training, certification that, you need to go through [will take place]. Safety is always important for the Administration of vaccines and that's what will be happening."

 

[mviy]

40,000 is a decent number but we need several times that number to take it.

 

[jakeseven7]

40,000 is a decent number but we need several times that number to take it.

It’s not as easy as it may seem to get it, the stock isn’t there in the numbers people might expect … CSL slowed down their production….

 

[mviy]

It’s not as easy as it may seem to get it, the stock isn’t there in the numbers people might expect … CSL slowed down their production….

Well my local GP apparently had 1200 doses in the fridge when I got the jab two and a half weeks ago. Considering the nurse does 30 doses a day, that’s a lot of days supply.

 

[JB expat]

So 6 deaths from AZ over many months and 5 deaths from unvaccinated people in the last few weeks……..

Post automatically merged: Jul 22, 2021

I think you are right - it’s been heavily skewed to females.

I'm just glad that I had my 2 AZ's while still uninformed. I really wasn't stressed about them at all. If I was due for them now, I would be much more concerned. Being honest with myself, it is hard to say if I would go for the AZ today or hold out for Pfizer appointment.

 

[JB expat]

If people have successfully received heparin (pre surgery etc) then does this mean the immune reaction to AZ won't occur?

I've seen this question asked elsewhere (to a doctor) and the answer is no - heparin isn't the treatment for whatever type of clotting is caused by the AZ. Caveat - I'm not a doctor, but this did stick in my mind when I read it.

 

[drron]

If people have successfully received heparin (pre surgery etc) then does this mean the immune reaction to AZ won't occur?

No.Heparin can induce a similiar reaction -HIT, Heparin induced thrombocytopenia which also can cause clots.Not the same as the AZ reaction.

 

[Pushka]

I've seen this question asked elsewhere (to a doctor) and the answer is no - heparin isn't the treatment for whatever type of clotting is caused by the AZ. Caveat - I'm not a doctor, but this did stick in my mind when I read it.

Yes, heparin isn't the treatment for TTS, but if you didn't react to heparin if that's been administered in the past (eg pre surgery) does that mean also that you won't react with TTS to AZ.

Post automatically merged: Jul 22, 2021

No.Heparin can induce a similiar reaction -HIT, Heparin induced thrombocytopenia which also can cause clots.Not the same as the AZ reaction.

And answered now.

 

[RAM]

But the deaths from TTS are overwhelmingly in women in Australia?

76,595 doses of AZ have been given to people under 40 (note this figure includes second doses) since the PMs announcement. I would note though that deaths of people above 40 would of course be outside those numbers.

In total, 76,595 doses have been given to under 40s who so far cannot access the Pfizer jab. It breaks down as 40,000 first doses and almost 37,000 second doses of AZ.

So that figure apparently covers since day one then, not since the June 28th misleading announcement by Scott Morrison after the National Cabinet meeting. A reasonable proportion of the 1st doses were 'forced doses' in NSW by the NSW Dept of Health email sent around requiring all medical students, nursing students, visiting doctors etc etc to book in for AZ by the end of the day.

The entire medical teams who were CV facing I previously posted about who had been refused Pfizer bookings (despite all admin and local area medical board members getting Pfizer in the first few weeks) were booked by the hospital admin for AZ without a choice and got there 1st vaccination in the days immediately leading up to this email being sent out.

The lack of transparency with all these figures means we will never know unlike most other OECD countries who provide the figures sliced & diced a myriad of ways.


It's not a race (but the women are winning in NZ)...

COVID-19 vaccine data – Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

The COVID-19 vaccine data is updated weekly at 1 pm on Wednesday. Vaccine data is up to Friday 28 July 2023.

www.health.govt.nz

NZ seems to have followed the route that they did not want to 'turn people off' by opening up a group for elligibility and not have enough bookings open. NZ is due to receive all their doses (contracted months before Australia) by October.

Any AFFers in the land of the wrong white crowd? What's the NZ vaccination/booking system like to use?

 

[Flying mermaid]

I'm just glad that I had my 2 AZ's while still uninformed. I really wasn't stressed about them at all. If I was due for them now, I would be much more concerned. Being honest with myself, it is hard to say if I would go for the AZ today or hold out for Pfizer appointment.

We had ours after the hysteria started and I have to admit I took a deep breath and then counted days until I was past the danger zone. However I knew statistically it was very low risk and so much more important to get vaccinated. I feel so much more relaxed now we have had our second jab and I am as protected from serious disease as possible. It was worth a few anxious weeks in order to get to this point.

 

[RAM]

And now Scott Morrison has made sure AZ uptake is going to fall even further.

Talking to Triple J's Hack program, Mr Morrison said young people will have access to the Pfizer vaccine in September.

So wait until September and then 3 weeks later (at worst 21st October) and you're fully vaccinated.

Or just before you'd be getting your 2nd AZ dose if your first dose is tomorrow.

Doesn't he like pharmacists?

 

[serfty]

6 deaths from 6 million doses.


Even though the media sends everyone into hysteria every time there's a vaccine-related death, it's in line with the expected 1 per million.
Every death is awful but if 200 unimmunised people get Covid we get the same number of deaths.
...

Yes, 30000 times more likely for an unvaccinated COVID-19 death than one caused by TTS.

 

[Pushka]

And now Scott Morrison has made sure AZ uptake is going to fall even further.

Talking to Triple J's Hack program, Mr Morrison said young people will have access to the Pfizer vaccine in September.

So wait until September and then 3 weeks later (at worst 21st October) and you're fully vaccinated.

Or just before you'd be getting your 2nd AZ dose if your first dose is tomorrow.

Doesn't he like pharmacists?

Won't make any difference to this age group. I suspect most younger people who have no interest in travel would have waited anyway knowing that likely by October it will have opened up to all. But if you want to protect yourself now then many have decided just to do something under their control and get vaccinated with whatever.

Strangely everyone won't be able to get vaccinated instantly. Will take weeks to get through this age group.

 

[mviy]

The situation in NSW could yet get worse or we could have bad outbreaks elsewhere. One jab is much better than no protection and the 2nd AZ jab can be brought forward.

 

[Pushka]

The situation in NSW could yet get worse or we could have bad outbreaks elsewhere. One jab is much better than no protection and the 2nd AZ jab can be brought forward.

And taking control of a big part of your life, by getting the vaccination, when everything else seems out of control, adds significantly to mental health. Let alone the physical protection it offers.

 

[jase05]

Yes, 30000 times more likely for an unvaccinated COVID-19 death than one caused by TTS.

Not doubting your figures but just wondering how it comes to that.
Obviously we have given 6m AZ jabs for 6 deaths but what is the rate of unvaccinated Covid death in Australia?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Not doubting your figures but just wondering how it comes to that.
Obviously we have given 6m AZ jabs for 6 deaths but what is the rate of unvaccinated Covid death in Australia?

The figures would be extrapolated from my post I imagine.
Mine are based on UK figures which are showing ~5% death rate from Delta in the unvaccinated 50yrs and up.