Last-minute preparations for virus vaccine - Armidale Express

Final preparations are being made this weekend for the first COVID-19 vaccinations from Monday in what will be the largest exercise of its kind in Australia's history. The work comes as Tasmania reopens to Victoria on Saturday, allowing hundreds of arrivals from the mainland state out of quarantine. However, Tasmania still considers about 30 sites in Victoria high-risk - people who have been to those sites are not allowed to visit the state unless they are an essential traveller. Tasmania closed its border to Victoria a week ago in response to a coronavirus cluster at Melbourne Airport's Holiday Inn which Premier Peter Gutwein said was now "in check". In Victoria, a family of three tested positive for COVID-19, more than a week after two of them stayed at the Holiday Inn. The whole family began isolating at home on February 7, after it was revealed a staff member at the hotel contracted the virus. More than 3500 close contacts linked to the Holiday Inn continue to self-isolate, including 88 returned travellers who stayed at the hotel. Meanwhile, border and quarantine staff, vaccination teams, aged care residents and workers, and emergency and intensive care workers will be among the first to receive the free Pfizer vaccine from Monday. Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are required at least three weeks apart and it must be stored and transported at -70C. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited a vaccination hub at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on Friday. "These are the men and women who are on the frontline every day protecting the rest of us and I think it's only fair that people who are in that situation are offered the vaccines first," Ms Berejiklian told reporters. Mr Morrison said as vaccination numbers increased around Australia, the "tool" of lockdowns could also be "put back in the box". "When the risk goes down, what does that mean for the other responses that states have been using up until this time? You only use a tool for as long as you need that tool," he told reporters. "You should rightly expect that things will change in how we manage the virus." He said federal and state health officers were monitoring whether to make vaccinations compulsory for some workers. A flying squad of 500 nurse immunisers will be dispatched around the nation to vaccinate aged care and disability residents. An Australian Bureau of Statistics survey found men (76 per cent) were more likely than women (71 per cent) to agree or strongly agree with getting the jab. There was also stronger support for it among people aged over 65 than younger Australians. Australian Associated Press

Final preparations are being made this weekend for the first COVID-19 vaccinations from Monday in what will be the largest exercise of its kind in Australia's history.

The work comes as Tasmania reopens to Victoria on Saturday, allowing hundreds of arrivals from the mainland state out of quarantine.

However, Tasmania still considers about 30 sites in Victoria high-risk - people who have been to those sites are not allowed to visit the state unless they are an essential traveller.

Tasmania closed its border to Victoria a week ago in response to a coronavirus cluster at Melbourne Airport's Holiday Inn which Premier Peter Gutwein said was now "in check".

In Victoria, a family of three tested positive for COVID-19, more than a week after two of them stayed at the Holiday Inn.

The whole family began isolating at home on February 7, after it was revealed a staff member at the hotel contracted the virus.

More than 3500 close contacts linked to the Holiday Inn continue to self-isolate, including 88 returned travellers who stayed at the hotel.

Meanwhile, border and quarantine staff, vaccination teams, aged care residents and workers, and emergency and intensive care workers will be among the first to receive the free Pfizer vaccine from Monday.

Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are required at least three weeks apart and it must be stored and transported at -70C.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited a vaccination hub at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on Friday.

"These are the men and women who are on the frontline every day protecting the rest of us and I think it's only fair that people who are in that situation are offered the vaccines first," Ms Berejiklian told reporters.

Mr Morrison said as vaccination numbers increased around Australia, the "tool" of lockdowns could also be "put back in the box".

"When the risk goes down, what does that mean for the other responses that states have been using up until this time? You only use a tool for as long as you need that tool," he told reporters.

"You should rightly expect that things will change in how we manage the virus."

He said federal and state health officers were monitoring whether to make vaccinations compulsory for some workers.

A flying squad of 500 nurse immunisers will be dispatched around the nation to vaccinate aged care and disability residents.

An Australian Bureau of Statistics survey found men (76 per cent) were more likely than women (71 per cent) to agree or strongly agree with getting the jab.

There was also stronger support for it among people aged over 65 than younger Australians.

Australian Associated Press

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2021-02-19 16:30:11Z
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