DAVID KOCH:
The nations vaccination rollout enters its second phase today, with all Australians over 50 now eligible to get the jab. Joining us is Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly. Paul, if you're over 50 and want to get vaccinated, what should you do?
PAUL KELLY:
Morning, Kochie, morning to your viewers. Yeah, it's another great day in the rollout of the vaccine here in Australia. We're ahead of schedule again on starting phase 2A today. So, anyone over the age of 50 is now eligible, and GPs around the country who have come forward to start that a little earlier are now up on the eligibility checker - so, that includes 136 of our GP respiratory clinics around Australia, plus another 400 GP clinics by- in a couple of weeks, so it'll be all about GP clinics, 4600, will be available. Plus, the state clinics. So, New South Wales is delayed a little, that was their choice, but, wanting to continue to do the 1A and 1B for the time being. But, other state clinics are available from today, and you can go online and check where that is close to where you're living.
NATALIE BARR:
That's great news. We have just heard an expert say that on our current trajectory, it's going to take us a year and a half to get everyone vaccinated. Is that what you're predicting?
PAUL KELLY:
I'm not going to get into timelines for that, but, all I can say is this is not a linear program. And so, anyone who says just because this is what we've done so far, is what we're going to do into the future, is…
DAVID KOCH:
Okay.
PAUL KELLY:
… not looking at the facts. The facts are that we're continuing to increase our large numbers. We had over 60,000 on one day last week, and I think, close to 80,000 on another day, vaccinated. Our GPs in particular are doing a fantastic job in terms of, of vaccination - they have now got now well over half the vaccinations…
DAVID KOCH:
Okay.
PAUL KELLY:
… have been done in primary care, And so, we'll continue to increase. and as we are getting more supplies now of both the locally, locally produced CSL AstraZeneca product, as well as Pfizer coming in from overseas, so, we'll continue to increase the, the speed.
DAVID KOCH:
[Talks over] Okay. Paul, quick question. I caught up with a few over 70s over the weekend who've had their first jab. Couple of them said it knocked them out for a fair bit, for a week or so. Thinking about not having the second job. The reactions after the second jab, are they milder than the first jab? Or what's the research show?
PAUL KELLY:
So, both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jab do cause quite a lot of, usually, local side-effects - so, sore arm…
DAVID KOCH:
[Talks over] That's how you get- Yep.
PAUL KELLY:
… sometimes pain under the arm, fatigue. Yeah, and then sometimes that more general feeling feverish or fatigued. Normally only goes for a day or two, it can go a little bit longer, but usually it's fairly short. The- Okay. Good news and bad news. With the Pfizer jab for- [coughs] that's for the under 50s at the moment, that's- that first dose is usually not as bad as the first dose of AstraZeneca in that relation. But, the second dose of Pfizer can knock you around like that. Whereas the second dose of AstraZeneca seems to be about the same or less. So please, if you want to be fully, fully vaccinated, fully protected, get both when that's available.
DAVID KOCH:
[Talks over] See, that sort of information is the thing that's really important for people at the moment, isn't it?
NATALIE BARR:
The same or less. Okay. Interesting
DAVID KOCH:
Yeah, yeah. Okay, thank you for clearing that up for us.
NATALIE BARR:
Thank you
PAUL KELLY:
You're welcome.
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