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‘Several reasons’ why the AstraZeneca vaccine is important, says CMO

Professor Kelly says there are several reasons why the AstraZeneca vaccine “is very important for our vaccine strategy” here in Australia. 

“Firstly, it’s being made here in Australia,” he said. “There will be enough vaccine, very soon, in Australia, for Australians, to be able to vaccinate any Australian who wants to be vaccinated against COVID-19 this year. The AstraZeneca is here, we don’t need to queue for that. That’s being made in CSL right now, in Melbourne.

“Second of all, it is very effective against severe illness. It will save lives. By using this vaccine, we’ll be able to protect a large proportion of the population in Australia whoever wants to have that. We also have 10 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, that will probably be the first to get the full tick from TGA, we expect that very soon within the next few weeks.

“And we’ll be able to start our vaccine program with the Pfizer vaccine as was announced by the Prime Minister last week. And so that Pfizer vaccine very important, that’s our priority groups that will be starting there, with our quarantine workers, border workers, those at highest risk of exposure, as well as our healthcare workforce, aged care, and then moving into aged care residents themselves.”