FRAN KELLY:
Well, some pretty positive news for the vaccine rollout. The national medical regular, the TGA, has approved the release of 800,000 locally manufactured doses of the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine. On Sunday, the TGA signed off on domestic production of the vaccine but it was undertaking, as we heard, so-called batch testing. Well, that's all done. And this approval comes as AstraZeneca, though, faces questions in the United States after health officials there said the pharmaceutical giant included outdated information in the results of a trial of its COVID-19 vaccine.
Alison McMillan is the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer for the Commonwealth. Alison McMillan, welcome back to Breakfast.
ALISON MCMILLAN:
Good morning, Fran.
FRAN KELLY:
This approval from the TGA for AstraZeneca, the locally approved AstraZeneca, the batch testing's been done. How significant is that? What does that mean now?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
It is a very important milestone, Fran, in our vaccine rollout program. We now have this secured supply in Australia and it'll be rolling out the doors and going to all of those vaccine clinics today, as we speak.
FRAN KELLY:
So when you say today, these 800,000 doses, how long will it take to get those distributed to the GPs who are, you know, fulfilling the Phase 1B vaccine rollout plan?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
I can't speak exactly on the logistics but that's the release that's been available today and that will obviously first go to our- we have what we can vaccine hubs, and then will be distributed through the networks to the GP clinics, the respiratory clinics, and all of the places where the vaccine has now been administered. And of course, importantly, there's another 2.5 million already manufactured, are now going through that quality control testing to the TGA now.
FRAN KELLY:
GPs, I'm sure you're aware, GPs practices and there's a lot of nurses in there as well, are saying they just don't have enough vaccine doses to administer to all those people who are eligible. Some surgeries complaining that they're going to receive fewer than 50 doses a week. Is this 800,000 doses going to be the start of addressing that?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
It is, Fran. And this is a part of our plan, to aim to have a million doses a week coming out of that facility in Melbourne over coming weeks and months. So yes. It's very encouraging, I think, Fran, to hear that, you know, so many people are wanting to get booked in and get their vaccine done. And increasingly, we will see more numbers of vaccines going out in coming weeks and months as we roll out 1B which commenced yesterday.
FRAN KELLY:
There's reports today, media reports of an acknowledgement by the Health Department that there's been some, let me say, rocky start to the rollout, that some GPS have got their vaccines but they haven't got what's called the consumables, the injections that go with those, or, you know, the equipment needed to give out those vaccines properly. Is that a disappointment, and is that all being addressed? How involved are you with this?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
Look, this is a massive logistics undertaking that we've got here and there will occasionally be things that don't quite go right. We're working very hard through the primary health networks and through the GP clinics to get this right. And over time, I'm sure we will address some of these small administrative errors. But you're correct - not only do you need the vaccine, but you need the, the equipment, the syringes and those things that go with it to safely administer the vaccine, and safety has been our priority as we get this vaccine rolled out. And obviously, also the floods have interrupted some supply in some of eastern Australia.
FRAN KELLY:
Yeah. Syringe was the word I was looking for. Thank you. There's a problem with deliveries of syringes apparently. This is- even the Health Department, as I mentioned, has acknowledged it's been a rocky start to the rollout. Is the fact though, and there's been quite a few stories about this and I get a lot of texts here on the program about their GP doesn't have it, or they have to wait two months or all these sorts of things that are disappointing people. Is there an overall message though that, given there is no community transmission in Australia at the moment, we have the luxury of time to get this right? I mean, I know a lot of people would be critical of that as a formal position, but really, do we need people to remain calm here and the acknowledge that we will all get the vaccine? Or how- what degree of urgency is there, I suppose, is what I'm asking.
ALISON MCMILLAN:
I think, Fran, if I could put it this way, what was done through ATAGI, the advisory group and through TGA, was a priority. So we know we went with 1A first. Those at the frontline, those most vulnerable, and then 1B, and that progresses over time. So we've tried to manage expectations and make sure that the vaccine gets first to those who need it most. And you're correct. We don't have community transmission, thank goodness, of COVID at the moment, so we can take this sensible, pragmatic, safe rollout of the vaccine. As more becomes available, more appointments can be made and more people will be vaccinated.
FRAN KELLY:
Okay. Let's go to the safety of it because overnight AstraZeneca, which is the one we're producing here, came under criticism in the United States. Health officials there raising concerns that the company may have included outdated information in the results of a trial that showed very strong results. How closely is Australia watching these US trials and this data?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
I think that the thing that can provide really strong reassurance to all Australians is that, as part of our contract, Fran, we do get access to the entire AstraZeneca data, and we should expect to get further data from them in the coming weeks and towards Easter. And so, we do get full, un-redacted data. And we know that recent announcements by AstraZeneca are showing extremely positive results, but we will make sure we can scrutinise that with great detail when that data becomes available to us.
FRAN KELLY:
Okay. So extra scrutiny by the US regulator of AstraZeneca. We'll get those results. It's likely to trigger extra scrutiny by our TGA?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
Our TGA has always had full scrutiny, and that's been a very important part of the process we know, in Australia, where we've made sure that we go through all of that checking. We haven't rushed this to make sure that these vaccines are safe and effective.
FRAN KELLY:
Alison McMillan, thank you very much for joining us.
ALISON MCMILLAN:
Thanks Fran.
FRAN KELLY:
Alison McMillan is Australia's Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer.
Contact
