The federal government keeps pretending nothing is wrong
Prime Minister Scott Morrison visiting CSL’s Melbourne facility, where the AstraZeneca vaccine is being produced. Image via Facebook
There is by now no doubt that the federal government’s vaccine rollout is in shambles, after last week missing its target by millions and today being ranked 90
th in the world – “sandwiched between Bolivia and Albania” – with only 2.34 doses administered per 100 people. The media knows it, having been tracking the slowly unfolding crisis for months now. Experts recognise it, with one labelling the rollout an “unmitigated disaster”. The states know it, with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian admitting this morning that the Commonwealth’s goal of vaccinating everyone by October would be a “big stretch”. Even News Corp admits it, with
When your back’s against the wall, attack is not necessarily the best means of defence. With this in mind, the word from Scott Morrison to his ministers is, lay off the states.
The federal government’s instinct is to avoid acknowledging its failures; when things are not going as promised, the reaction of some ministers is to kick the states if they are in line of sight.
The most egregious example was last week, when a story was planted to discredit states’ performance on vaccination. Premiers immediately saw the hand of Health Minister Greg Hunt.
Nationals Minister David Littleproud took his cue from the story, and piled on.
Australia s troubled Covid-19 vaccine rollout faces further setbacks as chemists are delayed from administering jabs until June amid dose shortages.
The European Union has blocked more than three million jabs from being exported to Australia over the past month, leaving local authorities scrambling to ramp up on-shore production as the nation s vaccination program falls behind schedule.
The government plans to use GP clinics as the hubs of the vaccine rollout once all over-50s are made eligible next month, however some experts say more industrial-scale facilities are needed to get Australia up to the speed of many foreign nations who are vaccinating are much faster rates.
Australia s rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine will continue despite growing fears the jab could be related to a blood clotting condition reported in some patients.
Acting Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd has dismissed suggestions the vaccine poses any serious threat and the government s medical advice remains unchanged despite a man being hospitalised with a rare blood clotting condition after receiving it. The society recommends that benefits outweigh the risks of COVID-19 vaccination and the society s advice is that individuals should continue taking the offer of COVID-19 vaccination, Professor Kidd said on Saturday. The risks of serious side effects remain very low. But safety is paramount, which is why ATAGI and the TGA continue to do due diligence on this case.
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Australia Won t Change Jabs Drive After Blood Clot Case
Australian health officials announced on Saturday regulators had advised not to change the country s coronavirus vaccine rollout plan after a potential case of a rare blood clot was reported in a man after he was vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Australian health officials announced on Saturday regulators had advised not to change the country s coronavirus vaccine rollout plan after a potential case of a rare blood clot was reported in a man after he was vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
In a news conference in Canberra, Acting Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd confirmed investigations were still ongoing into the report and advice was to be issued to clinicians over the symptoms and signs of this rare form of thrombosis.