First shipment of COVID-19 vaccine to NT could be less than 2000 doses CHO Dr Hugh Heggie says

THE Northern Territory may have “very small” supplies of the coronavirus vaccine at the start of the rollout according to chief health officer Dr Hugh Heggie

THE Northern Territory may have “very small” supplies of the coronavirus vaccine at the start of the rollout according to chief health officer Dr Hugh Heggie.

Dr Heggie, outlining the skeleton of the NT’s coronavirus vaccination program on Thursday, said it may “surprise people” that early supplies could be less than 2000 doses, though that would be “refreshed” so that people could receive the second jab.

In the NT, hubs will initially be set up in Darwin and Alice Springs for Phase 1a of the vaccine rollout plan, targeting frontline healthcare, aged care, disability care, and quarantine and border control workers.

Chief Health Office Dr Hugh Heggie said the NT may have “very small” supplies of the coronavirus vaccine at the start of the rollout. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL

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Staff at the international wing of the Howard Springs quarantine facility, otherwise known as the Centre for National Resilience, would be some of the “very earliest” to receive the vaccine Dr Heggie said.

“I think people need to understand this approach is very reasonable,” he said.

Dr Heggie said there would be “lots and lots” of vaccination sites around the Territory and more vaccine options once the program is extended to the broader community, expected in the second half of the year.

It comes as Australia secured another 10 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine.

Scott Morrison confirmed on Thursday the government had struck a deal for another 10 million Pfizer doses, doubling Australia’s order for a jab considered the world’s most effective protection from COVID-19.

“These additional vaccines have been secured consistent with our requirements under the strategy,” he said.

Mr Morrison confirmed Australia was on track to begin its vaccine rollout at the end of the month.

“That puts us in a very good position, particularly with our sovereign vaccine production capability,” he said.

Mr Hunt would not be drawn on a timetable for the additional doses but guaranteed they would arrive before the end of the year.

Health Department secretary Professor Brendan Murphy said the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were set to be rolled out early this year pending approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration, while the Novavax jab would be introduced “later on”.

“All of these three vaccines have now been shown to be highly effective at preventing clinical COVID disease, and particularly severe COVID disease,” Prof Murphy said.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA-NCA NewsWire Photos FEBRUARY 4, 2020: Brendan Murphy during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Prof Murphy added there was some “early, encouraging information” from the UK that the AstraZeneca vaccine showed some evidence of preventing transmission of the coronavirus and not just stopping the development of the COVID-19 disease.

Australia has 53.8 million doses of the AstraZeneca jab on order which will be manufactured onshore.

Prof Murphy said the Pfizer vaccine would be distributed via “dedicated state and territory-run Pfizer hubs”.