AstraZeneca vaccine program unlikely to be shelved

Vaccine experts will this week make a decision on whether the AstraZeneca vaccine will remain in the rollout amid concerns about side effects.

Australia’s vaccine advisory body will meet on Wednesday to weigh up the risks and benefits posed to the population by the AstraZeneca vaccine amid concerns about side effects.

Experts have been talking to authorities in Europe over the Easter weekend after a Melbourne man last week was admitted to hospital with blood clotting having been vaccinated in March.

Acting Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd said it was “likely” the case was related to the injection, but insisted there was no data to suggest the risk was high enough to halt the national rollout.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) will meet on Wednesday when more information is available.

“We plan to meet … when we anticipate more information from international regulators, and when the outcomes of ongoing investigations of this case will be available that will enable us to ­assess the risks and benefits of this vaccine for the Australian population,” ATAGI said in a statement.

A pharmacist prepares a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine .

Prof Kidd said there was no “definitive evidence” but the case of the 44-year-old at Box Hill looked “consistent with what we have seen in international reports of similar cases”.

He said continuing the rollout was important because Australia was still vulnerable.

“Although we currently have no cases of community transmission in Australia, we are permanently at risk of being on the brink of another outbreak,” Prof Kidd said.

“There will be inevitably more cases of community transmission, especially when our nation starts to open up further to the rest of the world.

“We need to continue to protect our population through our voluntary vaccination program and through the public health measures which have been in place throughout the pandemic.”

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt displays his inoculation cards after receiving his Astrazenica vaccine. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

So far, fewer than a million Australians have been vaccinated as tensions rise between the state and federal governments over who and what is to blame for the slow start.

The Victorian government says all hotel quarantine workers who will have contact with returning travellers will be vaccinated in time for the resumption of international arrivals on Thursday.

Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said most had already been vaccinated. “All staff working in hotel quarantine in those front-facing roles will be vaccinated once the program resumes on April 8,” she said.

“The vast majority of hotel quarantine workers have ­already been vaccinated, and only those who have been vaccinated will be working in hotel quarantine from April 8 in those front-facing roles.“

Fewer than a million Australians have been vaccinated

Ms Allan insisted Victoria was beating all targets set by the commonwealth.

“We’re ahead of target,” she said. “We’re always prepared to talk to the commonwealth on how improvements can be made, remembering of course that at the moment our ­responsibility sits with the 1a and 1b cohorts.”

State and territory leaders are expected to strike a new deal with the federal government on Friday at the national cabinet meeting that will make more vaccine data public.

Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles on Monday accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of using the slow vaccine rollout as a distraction from “Brittany Higgins, rape and sexual harassment”.

“That’s been a very orchestrated campaign to try to stop you all (media) talking about Brittany Higgins and rape and sexual harassment and all of the things that have happened in Canberra,” Mr Miles said.