Acting Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd's interview on 4BC Breakfast on 26 January 2021

Read the transcript of Acting Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd's interview on 4BC Breakfast on 26 January 2021 about coronavirus (COVID-19).

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NEIL BREEN:

I've got the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd, on the line to explain. Good morning to you, Professor.

MICHAEL KIDD:

Good morning, Neil.

NEIL BREEN:

It was an exciting day, wasn't it?

MICHAEL KIDD:

It was a very welcome announcement, absolutely.

NEIL BREEN:

The plan for the roll-out - okay, I look at the numbers and they're eye watering. You've got 80,000 a week to start with, okay we'll eventually get more; then the Government's talking about four million by April. How on earth are you going to get needles into the arms of four million in a short space of time?

MICHAEL KIDD:

Well, you're exactly right. This is the largest mass immunisation programme in our nation's history. But, there has been a lot of work happening over recent months to prepare the nation to get the vaccines out and administered as quickly as possible. Clearly, what we're aiming to do with those people in the initial priority group is to protect the people who are most at risk, and particularly those who are most at risk of serious disease and deaths related to COVID-19 which, of course, includes the residents of aged care facilities and disability care facilities around the country. But, there's been a lot of work happening between the Australian government and with the states and territories identifying the initial hubs around the country where the Pfizer vaccine will be sent to, and from those hubs, people will either be coming to those hubs to receive their vaccines or the vaccine in smaller amounts will be transported out in the special containers to the residential aged care and disability care facilities to provide coverage to the residents and the staff.

NEIL BREEN:

I've read that there were about six hubs in, I'm not sure if it was Queensland or Brisbane. You're talking about that sort of number?

MICHAEL KIDD:

Yes. So we're looking at between 30 and 50 hubs right across the country.

NEIL BREEN:

[Talks over] Okay.

MICHAEL KIDD:

Many of those hubs - and it will depend on the state or territory - but many of them will likely be based within major hospitals because, of course, the facilities are there and the staffing is there to allow the vaccination programmes to roll out very quickly and efficiently.

NEIL BREEN:

I'm talking to Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd. Are you thinking GPS and nurses and trained people for the Pfizer vaccine?

MICHAEL KIDD:

Certainly GPS and nurses who are involved in either working in hospitals, in emergency departments, or those who are running the 150 general practice led respiratory clinics across the country - and many of those clinics are also running in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations across the country. So, those people who are at risk of coming in contact with people infected with COVID-19 are in that 1a category of frontline health care workers; along with the people working in our hospitals, in intensive care units, in COVID-19 wards.

NEIL BREEN:

So five million Pfizer jabs we have - is that two and a half million Australians? Or is that five million times two jabs?

MICHAEL KIDD:

Yes. So it'll actually be 10 million doses of the Pfizer [indistinct]…

NEIL BREEN:

[Talks over] Okay, so it's five million Australians?

MICHAEL KIDD:

… five million Australians. We don't know how quickly those 10 million doses will come into the country, they'll probably come into the country sequentially over the coming few months. But, we also have the AstraZeneca vaccine which has been going through the Therapeutic Goods Administration approval process at the moment. If and when that is approved, we will- we expect to receive doses of that vaccine coming into the country in early March - it's being produced offshore. But, we also will be producing that vaccine onshore in Australia through CSL. So, from the middle of March, we expect that we will be producing in Australia the AstraZeneca vaccine. And this overcomes one of the very serious problems which has faced many other countries which have been rolling out the vaccines under emergency provisions over the last few months where they haven't had surety of supply of the vaccine. It's very important that people get two doses of the vaccine to make sure that they get the sustained immunity, and that has to happen within a recommended timeframe. So, once AstraZeneca is approved and is being produced in Australia, then we will have that surety of supply.

NEIL BREEN:

Is AstraZeneca two jabs as well?

MICHAEL KIDD:

Absolutely.

NEIL BREEN:

Okay, it's two jabs as well. Now, most of us will get AstraZeneca. So, if I pose a hypothetical, I'll pose it about myself. So, I'm a 52-year-old male in good health - when do you think I'll be getting my vaccine? And where will I get it?

MICHAEL KIDD:

Okay, so it's a little too early to speculate exactly when you'll get your vaccine, Neil. You'll you be in group 2a. So there's about seven million people in phases 1a and 1b who are ahead. The vaccine will likely be administered either through a general practice in your local area. By the time we get to phase 2a, we may well also have accredited pharmacies which are involved in administering the vaccine, and we'll have continuation of state and territory vaccination centres. We're looking at a booking process - so people will be looking for when they get the vaccine - very important that people do make an appointment to get the vaccine, that they turn up on that time on that day to receive their vaccine.

NEIL BREEN:

[Talks over] So, you'll make a booking?

MICHAEL KIDD:

You'll be making bookings to get your vaccine, that's right.         

NEIL BREEN:

And then it'll be hooked to your Medicare card so they know you've got it?

MICHAEL KIDD:

We will be following everyone who gets their vaccine, every dose of the vaccine will be will be introduced onto the Australian immunisation register. It'll also be on your My Health record if you've got a My Health record, and that way people can make sure that they are then followed up to make sure they get the second dose within the right time frame.           

NEIL BREEN:

I've definitely got My Health record. That scare campaign over that was disgraceful.

MICHAEL KIDD:

[Talks over] Good on you, Neil.          

NEIL BREEN:

Hey, Professor Kidd. I've got Bob on the line from Murrumba Downs. He's got a really good question to ask you, and I think the wider public would be thinking the same thing. Bob, go ahead with your question.

CALLER BOB:

Good morning, mate. Hey listen, I was just wondering, with all the hoo-ha with the COVID vaccine…           

NEIL BREEN:

[Talks over] Yes.

CALLER BOB:

… what's happening with the standard annual flu vaccine?

NEIL BREEN:

So are you asking whether you need to get that as well as the COVID vaccine?

CALLER BOB:

Well, I'm assuming you have to. And I'm just wondering whether - because I get it every year and have done for over 40 years - but, is it okay to get them both together?

NEIL BREEN:

Well, I'll tell you who's got the answer for you is Professor Kidd. Did you hear that question, Professor Kidd?

MICHAEL KIDD:

I did. Thanks, Neil, and thank you, Bob. That's a fantastic question. So, the annual influenza vaccine programme will be rolling out as normal. We expect that to roll out in April, May and June in preparation for the risk of getting seasonal influenza during the winter months in Australia. The important thing about the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccines is they cannot be administered at the same time. And the recommendation that has come through from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, which advises the Australian Government, is that you need at least 14 days between having the COVID-19 vaccine and getting the influenza vaccine. And the reason for that is that if people did get an adverse reaction to one or other vaccine, it's very important that we know whether that adverse reaction was related to either the COVID vaccine or the influenza vaccine. If we give the two vaccines at the same time, of course, we don't know which vaccine caused problems.

Having said that, we are not expecting a lot of adverse reactions from the COVID-19 vaccine. People may get a bit of a sore arm, as you often do after you've had an immunisation. Some people may feel a little bit tired or achy after the vaccine, which can occur with the flu vaccine as well. We have seen some very rare cases of people getting an allergic reaction to the COVID vaccine, and there are going to be recommendations that people who are susceptible to having severe allergic reactions not get the vaccine at this time. But, we're waiting for those specific details to come out from the Therapeutic Goods Administration over the next couple of days. But, thank you, Bob. That's a great question.                       

NEIL BREEN:

Okay, good stuff, Bob. Well, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd, you know, we're so well blessed for medicine in this country. I did my bowel cancer screening, okay?

MICHAEL KIDD:

[Talks over] Good on you.                 

NEIL BREEN:

You know, you- I get it in the mail, I've done it because I turned 52 - it was my second one. I put it in the mail last Thursday and I got my result text to me yesterday. We live in a fantastic country, we're looked after. Trust people like Professor Kidd, get the vaccine. Thanks, Professor Kidd.

MICHAEL KIDD:

Thank you so much, Neil, and thanks to all your listeners.   

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