KARL STEFANOVIC:
Well, the first batch of four million extra Pfizer doses from London have touched down in Sydney. The precious cargo secured as part of a major vaccine swap with the UK.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Lieutenant General John Frewen heads the COVID Vaccination Taskforce and he joins us live from Canberra. Nice to see you this morning. Where exactly will these jabs be going?
JOHN FREWEN:
[Talks over] Good to see you guys. Yes, these jabs will be distributed all around the country on a per capita basis like we've done before, Ally. So- and I know every state and territory are looking forward to getting hands on them.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Almost 38 per cent of Australia is fully vaccinated now. When do you expect the nation to hit those 70 or 80 per cent marks?
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah. Look, we've got a fantastic opportunity to get to 70. We've got a really strong opportunity to get to 80 this year. I'm not tying to dates myself, but I think you know, come November, if we're not up into the 70s then we've probably missed an opportunity. So it really is now about people turning up to get vaccinated. So I just encourage everybody to- if you haven't booked, get booked; and, if you've had your first dose, get along for your second dose.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Your issue you've got, as you would know, some states are charging - typically those who had to deal with COVID outbreaks. Are you worried about hesitancy, especially in Queensland right now?
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah. Look, Ally, I've got one eye firmly fixed on hesitancy issues. Again I say, we've got the supply, we've got the distribution networks now - we've now got more than nine and a- about 9400 places people can go to get vaccinated. We intend, over the next couple of weeks, to make that more than 10,000. So really it all just does come down now to, to people turning up.
The public sentiment is strong around vaccinations. People are saying that they have every intention of getting vaccinated. But, just watching overseas experience, and watching some of the communities where we're starting to lag behind, hesitancy is a key, a key factor. So we've just got to make sure that the right information is out there, and people just understand how important it is to be vaccinated.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Not an easy job what you're doing. I mean, effectively what you end up with is a patchwork quilt of different variables and different levels of vaccine, in even one city. I mean, that's the hard thing to confront?
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah. Well look, we're watching that really carefully. The Government have set these targets of 70 and 80 per cent both across the nation and across the jurisdictions. But I'm really mindful of we've got to try and bring everybody along equally. So we're doing a lot of work at the moment to make sure Indigenous communities are brought along. Also very conscious there are pockets of disadvantaged people as well that, you know, we just need to make sure they've got access and they've got the right information.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Lieutenant General, is there anywhere in Australia where supply is currently an issue?
JOHN FREWEN:
No. Look, now with these four million doses of Pfizer coming, this is really the sort of rates of supply we're expecting in October. We've also got Moderna turning up in the next couple of weeks too, Ally, which is great - that's another mRNA vaccine that we'll be running out through the pharmacy network. So really, the supply isn't the big challenge from here on in. Of course, there are some places where there are really particular challenges - you know, very, very remote areas. But we've got supply chains in process- in place that can get those vaccines out to those areas as well.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Yeah. There are some amongst us who, who are really early with some of these vaccinations, and really early with the double dose. And now, especially with Pfizer, they'll be coming to the end of their efficacy and they'll need a booster shot. Do we have the supply to handle that?
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah. So look, the, the Department of Health are still, and another agencies such as ATAGI, are still finalising their views on exactly when booster shots will be required. But we've got adequate, Pfizer in particular, this year - there has already been orders placed for both next year and the year after for a booster program. So, once the, once the outlines are in place of exactly what the timeframes will be, there'll, there'll absolutely be the supply. And we're already putting plans in place to make sure we have a smooth transition from the vaccine rollout at large, into a, hat we call a business as usual type booster program in future like you see with flu shots.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Let's talk about kids, because I know the TGA has approved Moderna for 12 to 17 year olds. Is there going to be a preference for children?
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Whether it's Moderna or Pfizer?
JOHN FREWEN:
No, Ally. They're very, very comparable vaccines. What, what we're doing logistically is we're going to run the Moderna out through pharmacies, just because they've only had access to AstraZeneca for now. Pfizer will continue to go out through the GP networks and the other state and territory hubs.
So really, it's a brand. It's a bit like the flu shot. People don't know there are, you know, six or seven different flu shots every year. They just go and get their flu shot. So, Moderna, Pfizer, it's really, which is the best place, most convenient place for you to go in with the kids, for parents to take their kids with, you know, consent to get vaccinated.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Look just, just one final one on hesitancy. I mean, there are still a number of health care workers who are not getting it either via supply or they just don't want it. How are we going to address that? And do you think that that- if you haven't convinced people right now to get vaccinated, how are you going do it in the future?
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah, so we'll continue our ad campaigns, our information campaigns. As we're getting further into the rollout now, it will become clearer where the, the really strong pockets of hesitancy are. And where we find those then we will tailor…
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Right.
JOHN FREWEN:
… information campaigns and advertising campaigns very specifically for those. What I, what I find, if it's a particular community or a particular area it really comes down to engaging local leaders and getting those local messages with the best information to the people from the people who they trust.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
We will reach 80 per cent though, will we? Won't we?
JOHN FREWEN:
Karl, we've got every, every opportunity to get there. It really is about Australians, people in Australia, making that decision to step forward. So, supply's here; distribution network's here. It's really about getting out there for you, for your family, for your friends. You know, this is a national imperative. This is a major health crisis. We've seen through the outbreaks in Victoria and New South Wales, Western New South Wales, just how dangerous this virus is. Vaccination is, is the way to keep us all safe.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Lieutenant General, always a pleasure. Thank you.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Thank you.
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