An additional one million Moderna doses from the EU member states has been secured for the country, further bolstering Australia’s vaccination programme.
The doses were sourced by the Australian Government from surplus vaccines destined for Spain, Czech Republic, Portugal and Bulgaria and will add to the community pharmacy vaccine rollout.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women Marise Payne said the country’s network of diplomats had been working around the clock to secure vaccine agreements.
“This agreement demonstrates the important role our diplomats play and the strength of Australia’s bonds with European nations and the European Union,” Minister Payne said.
“Australia is committed to working with all partners across the world because our shared recovery from COVID-19 depends on it.”
The additional Moderna doses is an add on to the Pfizer doses the Australian Government sourced from the UK, Poland and Singapore.
The extra doses will arrive next week, along with the first shipment of the already contracted doses, and will be directly transferred to local community pharmacies in order for it to be easily accessible for Australians.
This announcement comes at the same time as the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation’s (ATAGI) recommendation of Moderna for everyone 12 years and older.
Thanks to the approval of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), everyone aged 12-59, including families, can now access the Moderna vaccine from their community pharmacy.
“Families will now be able to go along together to their pharmacy to get their vaccinations,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
“This additional supply also enables us to direct urgent supplies where they are needed most, and make up the final ground for everyone in Australia to be offered a jab, originally set back in January for in October.”
The Prime Minister stated that ensuring enough doses to vaccinate the country’s entire population is part of the steps to safely reopen Australia.
Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt revealed that local community pharmacies would begin to receive the Moderna doses within a fortnight, adding additional capacity and ramping up the vaccination rate of young Australians.
Australia’s contracted vaccine supplies will be shared with over 3600 community pharmacies across the country. Over 1800 community pharmacies will be receiving the vaccines through the week of the 20th of September, with the next 1800 to follow after.
National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia Trent Twomey said that the pharmacies were ready to help more Australians get vaccinated.
Half a million AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines have already been administered across the country through community pharmacies.
Source: Minister for Foreign Affairs Media Release. Content has been edited for style and length.