Australian PM Morrison gets COVID-19 vaccine as inoculation rollout starts

[rooster59]

Australian PM Morrison gets COVID-19 vaccine as inoculation rollout starts

 

FILE PHOTO: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison arrives at Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan, November 17, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was injected on Sunday with the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech, as the nation started its inoculation program a day ahead of schedule.

 

Up to 4 million Australians are expected to receive a COVID-19 vaccine voluntarily by March, with Morrison and Paul Kelly, the country's chief medical officer, among a small group of Australians receiving the first inoculations.

 

"We're here making some very important points," Morrison said moments before cameras captured the first person being injected at a medical centre in Sydney. "That it is safe, that it's important, and we need to start with those who are most vulnerable and on the frontline."

 

Doses of the Pfizer inoculations, which need to be kept at temperatures well below freezing, were still being distributed to 16 vaccine hubs around Australia in preparation for the broader rollout of the vaccines on Monday.

 

A small number of older Australians at the Castle Hill Medical Centre in the western part of Sydney, aged-care staff, and frontline nurses and workers were among the group injected on Sunday, officials said.

 

The country is enjoying a second day without a single new COVID-19 transmission in the community, officials said. The vast majority of its population will be injected with the AstraZeneca vaccine by the end of October.

 

On Saturday, thousands of people attended anti-vaccine rallies in major Australian cities to protest what they incorrectly believed to be mandatory vaccinations.

 

Australia has reported just under 29,000 COVID-19 cases and 909 deaths since March 2020. The country has ranked among the top 10 in a COVID-19 performance index.

 

(Reporting by Paulina Duran; Editing by Paul Simao)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-21

 

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[mfd101]

Yes, and the vax campaign started ahead of schedule. A nice example of a clever government promising less and delivering more. Everyone happy.

 

The Thai government could learn from this. They consistently get things round the wrong way. Everyone miserable.

 

The amusing thing is that the Oz PM was preceded by an elderly lady receiving her shot. ScoMo suggested she make a V-sign for the cameras. She of course got her fingers round the wrong way, to the hilarity of all present. A very Oz scene.

[TKDfella]

Using Pfizer Biotech...interesting. Here is a Israeli report on research of efficiency of same. 1-14 days, 47%, 14-28 days 85%.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-02-pfizer-dose-effective-weeks.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter

[sanuk711]

"Under the existing guidelines, the Pfizer/BioNTech jab needs to be stored at a frigid minus 80 to minus 60 C until five days before use, a delicate process that requires special ultra-cold containers for shipping and dry ice for storage."

 

On The news yesterday (Fox) they stated that this has now changed and it has been found that you can Just store at Fridge temp.

 

** That's also just been confirmed on Google health

https://www.hindustantimes.com/health/pfizer-biontech-say-covid-19-vaccine-can-withstand-warmer-temperatures-101613758519471.html

[Sujo]

8 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Yes, and the vax campaign started ahead of schedule. A nice example of a clever government promising less and delivering more. Everyone happy.

 

The Thai government could learn from this. They consistently get things round the wrong way. Everyone miserable.

 

The amusing thing is that the Oz PM was preceded by an elderly lady receiving her shot. ScoMo suggested she make a V-sign for the cameras. She of course got her fingers round the wrong way, to the hilarity of all present. A very Oz scene.

True. I recall a US president doing the same in oz, maybe it was clinton, not sure. 

 

Completely different meaning in oz.

[mfd101]

In my lifetime the rude signed changed from the British (reversed V sign - which Churchill used to deliberately confuse) to the Latino & later US middle finger.

 

Yet another evil Usofan influence ...

[Sujo]

I have no issue with scotty from accounting getting the vaccine. But that lady did make it a nice oz thing.

[Laza 45]

...Just a little <deleted>...

[simple1]

10 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Yes, and the vax campaign started ahead of schedule. A nice example of a clever government promising less and delivering more. Everyone happy.

 

The Thai government could learn from this. They consistently get things round the wrong way. Everyone miserable.

 

The amusing thing is that the Oz PM was preceded by an elderly lady receiving her shot. ScoMo suggested she make a V-sign for the cameras. She of course got her fingers round the wrong way, to the hilarity of all present. A very Oz scene.

 

Unfortunately Oz government is now claiming vaccination roll out for all who wish to be vaccinated with not be completed until October this year.

[mfd101]

1 hour ago, simple1 said:

 

Unfortunately Oz government is now claiming vaccination roll out for all who wish to be vaccinated with not be completed until October this year.

Just as I suggested above. One of the bases of good government: Promise less, deliver more.

 

They're now in the downhill run to the next federal election, whether this year or next, so timings - promises & deliveries - become more & more important. No point in peaking too soon.