Concerns Europe’s vaccine supply issues could be a problem in Australia

Authorities say they aren’t concerned “at the moment” about vaccine supplies, but a move by the European Union could impact Australia’s rollout.

New export controls on the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines from Europe loom as a roadblock to Australia’s rollout but federal health chiefs remain confident our supplies will be delivered on time.

Several European countries have lashed out at AstraZeneca and Pfizer in recent weeks as both manufacturers have struggled to keep up with demand.

The rising frustration with delayed deliveries prompted the European Union to demand both companies “provide early notification whenever they want to export vaccines to third countries”.

Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides declared the EU would “take any action required to protect its citizens”, as the global case total surpassed 100 million.

In response, Australia’s deputy chief medical officer Professor Michael Kidd said federal authorities were not concerned “at the moment” about Pfizer’s supply, after it was approved on Monday.

“The advice from Pfizer is we are still expecting the initial doses to come to Australia in the latter part of February,” he said. “We don’t know exactly how long it’s going to take to get the 10 million doses, just that it will happen throughout the course of 2021.”

New export controls on the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines from Europe loom as a roadblock to Australia’s rollout

Australia is initially expected to receive 80,000 doses a week from Pfizer’s Belgian factory. Health Minister Greg Hunt said this week that the company would provide further advice in mid-February about supplies beyond March.

It comes as the Herald Sun can reveal Australia is relying on the world’s largest syringe maker to provide the specialist needles needed to extract enough doses from Pfizer’s vials, despite the company warning of supply difficulties in the US.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s Pfizer approval dictates that six doses are taken from each vial. Overseas, doctors were initially only taking five doses per vial, but this was ratcheted up to accelerate the rollout. This requires the use of a specialist syringe.

Reuters reported this week that syringe maker Becton Dickinson did not have “infinite capacity” to produce the syringes in the US and that “bringing up new lines does take time”.

Asked if supply issues could be a problem in Australia, a Health Department spokesman said the federal government had a contract with Becton Dickinson to supply syringes.

Australia is initially expected to receive 80,000 doses a week from Pfizer’s Belgium factory.

“The Australian government will continue to work to ensure it has sufficient supply of consumables to enable the COVID-19 vaccination program,” the spokesman said.

On Wednesday, the federal government’s $24m advertising blitz also kicked off to educate the nation about the vaccine program, with the campaign to run across TV and radio stations, newspapers and social media.

“This campaign will help every Australian to understand how the vaccine works and how it will keep them and their family safe,” Mr Hunt said.

“I am confident, given Australia’s high vaccination coverage rates, that Australians will take up a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine in equally high numbers.”

The ads will reaffirm that COVID-19 vaccines have been put through Australia’s world-leading independent approvals process to ensure they are safe and effective, while also informing people about how to access the jab and their dosage requirements.

Advice is now being finalised by the government’s immunisation expert panel about whether the vaccine will be appropriate for pregnant women and frail elderly Australians.

Pfizer and AstraZeneca bosses will face the Senate COVID-19 inquiry on Thursday, along with the federal health chiefs in charge of the vaccine rollout.

[e-mail]