KARL STEFANOVIC:
More now on Australia's vaccine milestone; Pfizer, the first jab to be approved for use by the nation's medical regulator. But, with only with a few weeks until the first doses arrive, there are many questions in the air.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Acting Chief Health Officer, Professor Michael Kidd, joins us now from Canberra. Professor, lovely to have you on the show as always. We know we've secured enough doses…
MICHAEL KIDD:
Thank you.
ALLISON LANGDON:
… for five million Aussies to have the two jabs. How is that enough though?
MICHAEL KIDD:
So obviously, the Pfizer vaccine and 10 million doses coming into Australia over the coming months will vaccinate five million people. But, then we have the AstraZeneca vaccine which is going through the Therapeutic Goods Administration approval process right now. That vaccine, if and when it's approved, we will be receiving initially doses from overseas, but very importantly that vaccine is also being produced here in Australia and so, we will have a guaranteed supply of that vaccine to provide adequate coverage for the rest of the entire population.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
We know there are supply issues. I think it's people on the frontline- medical people on the frontline in the UK at the moment who have had their first vaccine, but there isn't enough - there's been delays of up to three months for the second vaccine. Given the second one is crucial in getting that level to 98 per cent effectiveness, I mean is it a worry here that we're not going to have more of them?
MICHAEL KIDD:
Well, it's very important that we make sure that people who've been immunised with the first dose of a particular vaccine get their second dose of that same vaccine, so we get the maximum protection for each of those people. For the Pfizer vaccine, the gap between the two doses is 21 days, so it's important that we are vaccinating people within that time frame and that we make provision with the number of doses coming into the country to make sure that we can provide those essential second doses.
ALLISON LANGDON:
So, are we sure it is safe for the elderly and vulnerable? We know that TGA is warning that half of those that get the Pfizer jab will experience side effects?
MICHAEL KIDD:
Yeah. So, the side-effects that the vast majority of people are experiencing overseas with the Pfizer vaccine are the sort of side-effects which we often get with other vaccines - some soreness around the site of injection, occasionally some people develop some tiredness after getting the vaccine, but it's the sort of mild side-effects which we see normally. There have been reports about some people getting significant allergic reactions, and so there are cautions and precautions in place. So, people who are prone to those sort of allergic reactions are advised against getting the vaccine. However, the Therapeutic Goods Administration will be coming out with more detailed information about who should get the vaccine and the various precautions over the next few days.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
There are still lots of balls in the air, aren't there? In terms of the AstraZeneca vaccine, I know the European Union has been very vocal in their criticism of the company for not rolling it out faster. Is that an issue here as well? You're saying that we might be able to make some here, but is it going to be enough for any shortfall?
MICHAEL KIDD:
So, certainly the- we have no concerns at the moment about the supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine, both those initial doses which are being produced offshore; but also as I mentioned earlier, that very important on shore production of the vaccine which will ensure that we have the vaccine for the people of Australia.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Do you have any idea when the TGA is expected to approve the AstraZeneca jab?
MICHAEL KIDD:
I can't, I can't predict when that process is happening but we're hoping, subject to the TGA approval, that we will see the first doses arriving overseas, the AstraZeneca vaccine early in March, and the on shore production starting to roll out later in March.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
In terms of the Pfizer vaccine, who do you think will get it first? And do we have- do you have any issue at all with supply for people getting the second round?
MICHAEL KIDD:
Yeah. So, the road map for the vaccine has the priority categories which have been identified. The people in priority 1a are the people who will be getting the Pfizer vaccine initially, and this includes frontline healthcare workers' people who are working in settings where they may be working with people infected with COVID-19; it will include members of our Border Force and our quarantine workforce, people obviously who are at risk of coming in contact with people arriving from overseas who are infected with COVID-19; and, it will include the residents and the workers in our residential aged care facilities and disability care facilities across the country. The Pfizer vaccine will be rolled out through 30 to 50 hubs across the country - these sites are being determined between the Commonwealth and each of the states and territories.
ALLISON LANGDON:
So, only five million people will get the Pfizer jab, which means for the rest of us it will be AstraZeneca. What happens if the TGA doesn't approve it?
MICHAEL KIDD:
So, I'm not going to forecast what may or may not happen there. At the moment the process is running as it should. We'll let the TGA do their work in assessing the clinical trial data and all the information which is being provided. Obviously, it's important that any vaccine which is approved in Australia is approved by the TGA as being safe and effective in doing what it needs to do. Of course we also have a third vaccine, the Nova vaccine- the Novavax vaccine which is going through the TGA process as well.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Professor, there are some disturbing reports coming out of the variants which you would be across. I think the South African one, the Brazilian variants as a result of these vaccines, the Pfizer vaccine. Is it a worry to you that this virus is moving and adapting ahead of the vaccine now?
MICHAEL KIDD:
So, it's not surprising because this is the nature of coronaviruses, that we see these variants start to appear over time. The good news is that the research data that we have at the moment around both the Pfizer vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccine is that they appear to be equally effective to these variants which we've seen. But, it is concerning that we have these variants appearing around Australia and obviously, we are following that very, very closely.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Professor, Thank you so much for your time today. Thanks for joining us on Australia Day. Obviously hard at work as well. Thank you.
Contact
