Premier, Spurrier get second COVID-19 jab and make no apology for slow vaccine rollout

The Premier and experts have moved to reassure South Australians about the AstraZeneca vaccine, as countries throughout Europe suspend the jab.

Epidemiologists and South Australian leaders are sticking by the AstraZeneca vaccine, as countries throughout Europe suspend the jab for fear it is causing blood clots.

Premier Steven Marshall told ABC 891 this morning he had met with Health Minister Stephen Wade to discuss the AstraZeneca vaccine, which countries including Italy, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Ireland have suspended from use.

He said he was advised that it had been rigorously tested in Australia.

“It’s a very important vaccine for us in Australia because we’ve got so many remote locations and certainly the logistics … are far simpler than the Pfizer vaccine,” Mr Marshall said.

“Most of the most recent reports show its efficacy is at least as good as the Pfizer vaccine.”

He said he would “continue to listen to the World Health Organisation” and “monitor it very closely”.

The World Health Organisation’s vaccine safety experts are set to meet today to discuss the AstraZeneca jab.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is one of two COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out in Australia and is the jab the majority of the population will receive.

The national rollout of the AstraZeneca jab started in Murray Bridge earlier this month.

University of South Australia Professor Adrian Esterman said European regulators were being “overly cautious” in this case.

He said the issue could stir more alarm among people worried about vaccine safety.

“We’re already getting a reasonable chunk of people in Australia saying they’re hesitant to get vaccinated. This won’t help. The message we must get out to the Australian public is that at this stage we believe it’s safe. If our TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) felt there were issues they would stop it as well,” he said.

“Our TGA is probably the most conservative of any of the regulating agencies, if they felt there were any issues whatsoever they would immediately stop the rollout. The fact that they haven’t says they don’t believe the evidence is there, and neither does the World Health Organisation.”

Deakin University Chair of Epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett said she was surprised so many European countries had paused the AstraZeneca jab, given the extremely low cases of people experiencing blood clots and the lack of evidence to suggest they were caused by the vaccine.

“It does seem a more extreme step to actually suspend. But it is a suspension, it’s only a two-week suspension and I’d be expecting them to resume in two weeks time,” she said.

“What’s interesting is there is no biological pathway between the components of the vaccine and its likely outcome, which is the severe blood clotting that they’re worried about.

“It’s not really a biologically plausible outcome but you still look at every association to make sure there’s nothing going on.”

Nicola Spurrier gets her second vaccine from registered nurse Tovah Green at the RAH on Monday. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Meantime, Mr Marshall, Mr Wade, chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens had their second jabs at the Royal Adelaide Hospital on Monday.

Mr Marshall expected the state’s vaccine rollout to reach 8000 administered doses as of Monday night, well short of the 12,000 target for the program’s first three weeks. “We make no apologies for taking this steadily,” Mr Marshall said.

“We want to make sure that this vaccination program is very, very effective.”

Mr Marshall said the jab was “safe” and urged people to be vaccinated.

Three new virus cases were recorded in SA on Monday – a couple in their 40s and their child, who arrived in Adelaide on Sunday.

They are among 10 active cases in SA – the highest number of infectious patients since January 19.

A family of five – a man in his 30s, a woman in her 20s and their three children – tested positive on Saturday. All infected patients are staying in the city’s Tom’s Court facility.

State border controls are in question after it was revealed a NSW hotel quarantine security guard, who tested positive for the virus, may have been in the community for a week after he was infected.

SA contact tracers have sent more than 13,000 text messages to travellers from NSW and Queensland, where a doctor tested positive last week. Almost 2000 of those are yet to respond.

SA Health said three NSW travellers were having risk assessments to check when they visited possible exposure sites.

SA’s transition committee will meet today to discuss COVID-19 regulations.

Prof Spurrier said she was “quite happy” with current border rules, while Mr Stevens said changes were unlikely despite a heightened risk.

Mr Marshall again downplayed changes to increased capacity limits at venues, after hospitality owners warned the one person per 2sq m rule meant some businesses would fold. “I think we’ve got the balance right in the past, and I expect that to continue,” he said.