COVID NSW: State to get 80,000 vaccine doses in next nine days

Federal Health minister Greg Hunt has revealed NSW is set to receive 80,000 COVID vaccine doses over the next nine days.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has revealed NSW is set to receive 80,000 COVID vaccine doses over the next nine days.

Mr Hunt said he had a “very constructive conversation” with Gladys Berejiklian on Monday — after the NSW Premier strengthened her calls for the Commonwealth government to provide more information on it’s vaccine roll out.

“As I said to Gladys Berejiklian today, NSW had been provided with information over the weekend and when you put it together, they’ll be receiving 80,000 doses of Pfizer and AstraZeneca over the course of the next nine days,” he said.

Nurse Josie Hall is seen leaving the Westmead vaccination hub. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Mr Hunt said 14,000 doses were due to arrive on Monday with the 14,000 of those are due to arrive today with the rest over the next week.

Prior to the phone call, the NSW government had insisted that the Commonwealth should be providing more information about where and how the roll out is progressing in aged care homes.

Ms Berejiklian had also called for the federal government to provide clarity on how many COVID jabs NSW will receive after week four of the inoculation program.

FRUSTRATED PREMIER’S VACCINE QUESTION

State health ministers are set to offer the Commonwealth government more assistance in delivering the vaccine to aged care homes, while asking for more information about where the Commonwealth is intending to administer the jabs.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday called for the Morrison government to tell NSW how many vaccine doses we will get, in a bid to ramp up the number of jabs state health officials can administer.

It comes as almost 50 people every hour are now getting vaccinated at Westmead Hospital, one of three vaccine hubs administering the Pfizer jab to frontline workers.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard looks on during the press conference as Premier Gladys Berejiklian addresses the media. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

The first week of the NSW program has seen 10,339 people receive a shot so far.

“We would like to know as soon as possible how many doses New South Wales is receiving, our teams are ready and willing to step up and increase our capacity, but we just need to know exactly how many doses we’re getting beyond week four,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Health Care workers seen leaving the Westmead Hospital Vaccination Hub after being among the first to receive the jab today. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

The Westmead Hospital Vaccination Hub. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Ms Berejiklian and Health Minister Brad Hazzard both indicated the NSW government’s frustration with the federal government’s vaccine rollout to date, after The Daily Telegraph last week revealed the aged care inoculation program is already beset with delays.

The Premier said NSW can speed up its vaccine process to assist the federal government’s rollout but said her government “just (needs) to know how many doses we have so that we can make that happen”.

Ms Berejiklian also indicated NSW wants to step in to help federal authorities get shots into arms.

“If there’s any stumbling blocks to what the federal government is planning … NSW is ready and willing to step up.

Mr Hazzard said the federal government hasn’t asked for assistance from NSW.

“But I can indicate that there have been discussions amongst other states with me and there will be conversations initiated with the federal government very soon,” he said.

“What we’re saying is that it’s obviously a very challenging time to roll out so much of the vaccine … and if there is assistance that’s required, we’re prepared to look at what assistance might be necessary,” he said.

The state marked 43 days without any new local COVID cases on Monday, with three new cases detected in returned overseas travellers in hotel quarantine.

The results came from 10,652 tests.