E&OE…
Topics: Phase 1B of the vaccine rollout, Securing vaccines for PNG.
SABRA LANE:
Medical experts say, the Federal Government has serious questions to answer over the launch of the COVID vaccine booking system. Doctors were swamped with inquiries when the system went live yesterday, with many members of the public describing it as confusing and inefficient.
I’m joined now by the Federal Health Minister, Greg Hunt. Good morning and welcome to AM.
GREG HUNT:
Good morning, Sabra.
SABRA LANE:
GP clinics were absolutely overwhelmed yesterday, over 70s calling for appointments, saying the Government’s website had alerted to them to it. What went so wrong?
GREG HUNT:
Well, I respectfully disagree with the categorisation. I think what we should be thankful for is that the public is engaged in the vaccination program. By the end of today, over 240,000 people are likely to have been vaccinated in over 540 facilities.
SABRA LANE:
Let’s talk about the website problems yesterday, because industry sources have told The Guardian they were told the system wouldn’t launch until next week. And certainly, clinics told us yesterday that they weren’t aware the announcement was being made yesterday. What went so wrong?
GREG HUNT:
Well, with great respect, I disagree on both fronts. In fact, Brendan Murphy announced on Sunday, with the Prime Minister, that the information would be released this week. And that’s because next week, we move to what’s known as Phase 1B of the over 80s and the over 70s. And so as we have more vaccines come online, we’re expanding to the general practices.
Every general practice that was included yesterday, had indeed placed its orders. So, I think what we’re seeing is 1,069 practices that were announced yesterday; today, we’re announcing over 100 Commonwealth vaccination clinics that will take all comers.
General practices, some of them are much smaller and they will choose from within their own patients first and some will expand to others. But the Commonwealth vaccination clinics that are coming online today will take all patients.
And with over 100 around the country, that’s a very important addition. And they’ll have, on average, close to a thousand vaccines a week and so that expands the capacity very significantly.
SABRA LANE:
So each of those clinics will get a thousand doses a week?
GREG HUNT:
Up to and on average, close to a thousand. So these are the larger Commonwealth vaccination clinics and that’s coming online today. That supplements the general practices.
So, next week, we start with over a thousand general practices, that will grow over the course of April to over 4,000 general practices.
You’ll have over 100 Commonwealth vaccination clinics, over 300 indigenous clinics and then state clinics on top of that.
SABRA LANE:
Let’s get back to the website problems, because every media organisation has got a story about this today because people were inundating media organisations and GP clinics with the claims that they couldn’t get through. They couldn’t get make bookings.
Again, what’s gone so wrong? Does that information need to be made clearer on the website? Because people are saying that they just can’t find it.
GREG HUNT:
So, look, very simply, there are three things here. Firstly, we have a vaccination information and location service.
So the eligibility checker had approximately 243,000 people on health.gov.au, check their eligibility. We had a 98 per cent connection rate, on the advice that we’ve received from the booking engine. And then what happens is that you approach your GP, in the vast majority of cases. Some take online bookings, some take telephone booking.
And in addition to that, the Commonwealth vaccination clinics will link through directly from the vaccination information and location service. So yesterday, 98 per cent connection, 243,000 people who checked, 9,000 who actually registered for Phase 2, which is well beyond where we are now. And so what we’ve seen is a high uptake.
And day one was always going to see a significant initial demand and I’m very pleased about that.
SABRA LANE:
Do clinics deserve an apology here because they say that they were completely inundated?
GREG HUNT:
I think they deserve our thanks. That on day one there was always going to be an initial surge and initial demand. And every clinic that was listed had actually placed their orders and I want to thank them for that, thank the public for being aware there.
And I do think a very important point here is this next phase will have 6 million people, approximately 250,000 vaccines will be made available for the general public next week, with others for aged care and for health workers.
And so it will take time and patience. And we’d urge everybody to realise we’re in a long national rollout. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. And it won’t all happen in one week. But our GPS have been magnificent and the public have been magnificent.
SABRA LANE:
Two quick points, does the Phase 1B rollout hinge on the TGA approving domestically made AstraZeneca?
GREG HUNT:
Look, that’s always been an important part of it and that’s on track.
SABRA LANE:
It’s a just yes or no.
GREG HUNT:
Well, by definition, we have to have approval for the AstraZeneca CSL domestically made product, and my advice is that that remains absolutely on track.
SABRA LANE:
So if that’s on track, that approval has to happen by this weekend for the vaccines to be rolling out?
GREG HUNT:
No, we already have 500,000 vaccines available for next week, of which 250,000 would be the general public. And so all of that is in place and on track.
SABRA LANE:
Europe’s threatening more bans on vaccine exports. If that happens, will that affect our request for supplies to PNG? Will it affect Australia’s supplies?
GREG HUNT:
So it is a matter of concern for Australia. We have not factored in any additional vaccines from Europe into our doses and rollout.
We have been cautious because 3.8 million were contracted, of which 700,000 have been provided. And indeed, it’s a minor miracle that we’ve been able to secure that 700,000 so far.
And we are now asking Europe to make available for a humanitarian COVID crisis in PNG, one million of our Australian vaccines for helping PNG.
SABRA LANE:
Will the ban affect PNG’s supplies?
GREG HUNT:
Well, that is a matter for Europe to now consider. We know that we have approached Europe.
SABRA LANE:
It’s a simple yes or no.
GREG HUNT:
Well we don’t know the answer as to whether Europe will accept the request to release. We hope that they do.
We would think that a humanitarian crisis in a developing country, with the need for COVID vaccines would have to be the highest possible priority. And we’ll continue to fight for that. That’s our job. That’s our duty. That’s our human task.
SABRA LANE:
Minister, we’re out of time. Thanks for joining AM this morning.
GREG HUNT:
Thanks, Sabra.
-ENDS-