Major rush for Covid-19 vaccines as Territorians react to Victorian outbreak

The lightspeed spread of a dangerous Covid-19 variant in Victoria has seen Territorians clamouring to get their jab in huge numbers.

• GET VACCINE OR GET COVID-19: Territorians’ pandemic ultimatum

CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner is lobbying Scott Morrison to allow everyone in Darwin access to the Covid-19 vaccine, as Territorians rush to get the jab.

Statistics provided by the Chief Minister’s office showed NT Health gave out approximately 16,000 vaccine doses in May, more than double the 7000 administered in April.

Of last month’s total, 4500 were administered in the last week alone as the extent of Victoria’s Covid-19 outbreak began to become clear.

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Overall, 50,000 doses have been administered.

Increasing eagerness for the vaccine among younger age groups has led the Chief Minister Michael Gunner to privately lobby the Prime Minister to “collapse” tranches in Darwin.

Such a move would allow anyone over the age of 16 to get their allocated vaccine, and has already been done in Alice Springs.

Doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Wayne Taylor

The increasing vaccine demand on the back of the Victorian outbreak has pushed the NT government, including Mr Gunner, to lobby Canberra for permission to open up access to all age groups.

“We’ve seen the rollout gain pace across the Territory this week, but to really seize on this momentum, it’s important we make the vaccine available to all Territorians as soon as possible,” he said.

“I believe the message is starting to cut through with Territorians – get the jab or you risk Covid.”

“We’ve bought ourselves time but the international borders will open and this will be a reality.”

The NT News understands officials from the NT government have also expressed a desire to collapse tranches and open up the vaccine to as many people as possible within Darwin.

Currently the rollout is limited to Indigenous Australians aged 16 or above, anyone over the age of 50, frontline workers and vulnerable people.

Victoria on Tuesday reported nine new cases of Covid-19, as the state grapples with a widening outbreak of the virus.

The variant spreading in Melbourne, from India, is much more infectious and officials have been alarmed by transmission of the virus during only “fleeting” interactions.

Greater Melbourne and Bendigo remain declared hot spots for arrivals into the NT.

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