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- Australia’s first shipment of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine have arrived as preparations continue for the national rollout
- More than 142,000 doses landed just after midday in Sydney and people will begin receiving the inoculations, made in Belgium, from Monday, February 22
- 80,000 doses will be released next week, with 50,000 going to frontline quarantine and health workers and 30,000 to aged care and disability care residents and workers
- DHL is one of two companies tasked with distributing the vaccine to hospitals, GP clinics and pharmacies around the country
- While touring one of DHL’s facilities, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the nation was about to embark on “one of the largest logistic tasks Australia has ever undertaken”
Australia’s first shipment of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine have arrived as preparations continue for the national rollout.
More than 142,000 doses landed just after midday in Sydney and people will begin receiving the inoculations, made in Belgium, from Monday, February 22.
“They will now be subject to security, quality assurance, in particular to ensure that temperature maintenance has been preserved throughout the course of the flight, to ensure the integrity of the doses, and to ensure there has been no damage,” said Health Minister Greg Hunt.
An initial 80,000 doses will be released next week, with 50,000 going to frontline quarantine and health workers and 30,000 to aged care and disability care residents and workers.
It’s expected that 60,000 doses will be distributed by the end of the month, meaning the rollout was “slightly ahead of schedule,” Hunt said.
“We have to allow for the time taken for [the vaccine] to be administered, for any issues that occur along the way,” he added. “We have to be realistic, at some point there will be a vial which is dropped.”
DHL is one of two companies tasked with distributing the vaccine — which needs to be stored at between minus 60 and minus 80 degrees Celsius — to hospitals, GP clinics and pharmacies around the country.
While touring one of the company’s cold-chain logistics facility, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the nation was about to embark on “one of the largest logistic tasks Australia has ever undertaken.”
“It’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to go flawlessly,” he added. “There will be criticism along the way, but we will do absolutely what we can to make sure it’s available as soon as possible.”
