South Africa suspends AstraZeneca rollout after testing

A key health official is playing down fears after South Africa suspended its rollout of one of Australia’s coronavirus vaccines.

The Health Minister has played down concerns over the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine after South Africa temporarily halted its rollout of the jab.

AstraZeneca revealed on Sunday that data from an early trial showed its vaccine could prevent serious illness brought on by the South African COVID-19 variant but offered “minimal protection” against mild illness.

South Africa had planned to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine to frontline workers soon but will offer them doses of the Pfizer jab following the result.

But Australia’s federal Health Minister Greg Hunt insisted he had no concerns over the jab’s effectiveness, saying the data showed it prevented death.

“In terms of particular variants (from) particular countries, the world is learning about those with all vaccines,” he told 2GB Radio on Monday.

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South Africa has suspended its rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Picture: Alain Jocard / AFP

Health Minister Greg Hunt has played down concerns over the development. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“But all up, what we’re seeing are very significant results from the vaccines that have been approved.

“(It provides) up to 100 per cent protection on the early data we’ve seen in the clinical trial results for serious illness and hospitalisation.

“So, that’s the critical thing and that’s the protection. Ultimately, this is about saving lives and protecting lives.”

Modifications were being made to cope with the South African strain, and AstraZeneca expected an updated vaccine to be available by the end of the year.

The highly infectious strain has sparked alarm among global health experts and is one of three – along with ones from the UK and Brazil – that could become the dominant variant of COVID-19.

But the study has not yet been peer reviewed and, with an average participant age of 31, offered limited insight into how the jab would protect older patients.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison allayed fears over the development, saying the government relied on the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

“We take our advice from Professor Murphy, who heads up the vaccine‘s scientific technology, science and technology taskforce,” he said on Monday.

“They look at the peer-reviewed science and they make the recommendations to us. As recently as just the last few days, it continues to be very positive.”

Australian Medical Association vice-president Chris Moy said more information “definitely” needed to be sought, and with just 2000 patients, the study was based on small numbers.

“The virus is evolving and to some degree seems to trying to outrun the vaccines that we are developing,” he told NCA NewsWire.

“In response we are going to have to assist the information and potentially be nimble in changing direction in terms of the vaccine program in the future, particularly with the slew of new vaccines on the horizon.”

Mandatory training on how to administer the vaccine begins on Monday. Picture: Alain Jocard / AFP

Mr Hunt confirmed the development had not altered Australia’s rollout plan, which he expected to be complete by the end of October.

The first Pfizer vaccines will be administered in late February.

Australia also has an order for 53 million AstraZeneca doses, almost all to be produced onshore. It has yet to be approved by the TGA.

“I was also in contact with AstraZeneca on the weekend, indeed their Australian and global heads, and they remain on track for early March,” he said.

It comes as mandatory training on properly administering COVID-19 vaccine becomes available to healthcare workers from Monday.

The federal government has partnered with the Australian College of Nursing to develop training modules for all COVID-19 vaccine providers.

Health providers in hospitals will be the first group to receive training, which was prompted by fears improper practices could spark high levels of vaccine wastage during the rollout.

“That will help make sure that we‘ve got training on the vaccine administration and vaccine handling storage, those elements which are part and parcel of inoculating a population,” Mr Hunt said.

He confirmed a database listing adverse effects to the vaccines would be made public on a TGA database.