- High priority groups could receive their COVID-19 jabs as early as next month as the government brings forward its vaccination rollout schedule
- The Prime Minister held a press conference today outlining plans to start vaccinating high priority groups from mid to late February
- A target of 80,000 vaccinations per week has been set by the government with the hopes of reaching four million by the end of March
- The early rollout is conditional on the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech from the Therapeutic Goods Administration, which is expected by the end of January
High priority groups could receive their COVID-19 jabs as early as next month as the government brings forward its vaccination rollout schedule.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government is in a position to vaccinate high priority populations from mid to late February, starting with 80,000 vaccinations a week.
“We anticipate, optimistically, that we would hope to start the vaccination with around 80,000 vaccinations a week,” the Prime Minister explained at a press conference.
“We hope by the end of March to have reached some four million,” he said.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the figures were a target and that he would provide further updates as more information became available.
The vaccination schedule is expected to be administered in five phases to ensure high priority groups are protected.
“Today we are going to talk about the process of those first two phases that will provide the most necessary ring of containment and protection for the Australian population,” he explained at a press conference.
“Those populations in that first phase are quarantine and border workers, frontline health officials as well as those working in aged and disability care and aged and disability care residents.”
The early rollout is conditional on a number of factors, including approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
“This will, of course, remain conditional on a number of important factors, most importantly, that final TGA approval and the delivery of our vaccine from our suppliers,” the Prime Minister said.
At this stage, approval for Pfizer-BioNTech is hoped to be attained by the end of January.
Australia has bought 10 million units of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which equates to roughly five million immunisations based on the two-dose course required.
Prime Minister Morrison encouraged “harmony” between the state and federal governments as the vaccination process is implemented across the country.