Health Minister Greg Hunt has rejected reports AstraZeneca production in Australia will stop this year as coronavirus cases reach over 2700 in a single day.
Minister Hunt denied reports that the CSL would stop producing the vaccine in Melbourne this year, stating that production of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine will continue into next year with leftover doses shipped to neighbouring countries.
“CSL and AstraZeneca are on track to complete the full 50 million-dose production run in Australia and the 3.8 million supply from overseas,” he told reporters.
“Our expectation and our plan are that that program will be completed in full. All of those extra doses are being supplied to the region.”
Minister Hunt revealed that Fiji’s vaccine rollout was boosted by Australian AstraZeneca doses. The spare doses were also sent to Indonesia, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and other Pacific nations.
A CSL spokeswoman said that the Australian-produced 20 million doses were for use locally and in the Asia Pacific region.
“CSL and Seqirus are proud of the role they have played in providing Australia with onshore vaccine manufacturing capability throughout the pandemic,” she said.
AstraZeneca was intended to be the mainstay of Australia’s rollout. However, medical advice about its extremely rare side effects has changed its age recommendations.
Victoria reported a massive spike in COVID-19 cases, increasing to 2297 new infections and 11 deaths on Thursday. Meanwhile, NSW reported 406 locally acquired cases and six fatalities.
Asked about the concerning spike in his home state, Minister Hunt urged Victorians to come forward for vaccination and keep following health measures.
“It’s another difficult day in Victoria but we’ll get there, we really will,” he said.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Sonya Bennett said Victoria’s case numbers were expected to remain high but not increase exponentially.
“It’s disappointing but not unexpected,” she said.
“It all hinges around that effective reproductive number. So, if every case is transmitting to more than one case, we’ll see those numbers continue to rise.”
Deputy Chief Bennett said vaccination, testing, contact tracing, public health measures and hygiene would stop the virus from spreading rapidly.
Australia’s medical regulator has approved the first step for the Pfizer vaccine to be given to children aged five to 11.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has granted a provisional determination for Pfizer in Australia, its first step in being approved for children aged five to 11. Pfizer will now need to submit comprehensive clinical data to the administration.
Minister Hunt said approval would need a “double green light” from the TGA and the expert immunisation panel ATAGI.
“If we get that, we’re ready to start immediately. We have the doses. We have the availability. We have the system,” he said.
Australia has fully vaccinated 64.4 per cent of its eligible population aged 16 and over, while more than 83 per cent have received their first dose.
With AAP