Territorians to start receiving COVID-19 vaccine by next week, Chief Minister Michael Gunner announces
Territorians on the frontline against COVID-19 will be vaccinated against the virus from next week the Chief Minister has announced, just as the Commonwealth revealed the first shipment of the Pfizer jab had arrived on Australian shores.
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TERRITORIANS on the frontline against COVID-19 will be vaccinated against the virus from next week the Chief Minister has announced, just as the Commonwealth revealed the first shipment of the Pfizer jab had arrived on Australian shores.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner on Monday revealed up to 3000 quarantine and border control workers, and high-risk hospital and health care workers, would be the first to receive the jab in the NT.
A further 1500 in the aged care and disability care system will also be vaccinated against COVID-19, though that cohort falls under the responsibility of the federal government.
While the NT scales up its logistics in order to transport the Pfizer vaccine, which requires ultra-cold temperatures of -70C, the single vaccine hub at the Territory will be at the Royal Darwin Hospital.
A second vaccine hub is expected to be established Alice Springs Hospital in coming weeks.
Mr Gunner said the Territory would receive 4000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in the first four weeks of the rollout.
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“As we gradually extend and expand the rollout of the vaccine throughout the year, we will need to make some pretty complex storage and delivery methods across the Territory,” he said.
“Once we have scaled up, vaccination clinics will be established across the Territory, including in some GPs, pharmacies, and community clinics.
“And with specialist teams travelling in and out of areas to deliver the vaccines as well.”
It comes as federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on Monday announced 142,000 doses of the only COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in Australia to date, the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, had arrived at Sydney Airport.
This is the first shipment of the 20 million total doses of the Pfizer vaccine that Australia has secured.
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the country was on track for workers in Phase 1a to receive the vaccine from February 22.
About 80,000 doses will be released in the first week, with 50,000 of those to be made available for the states and territories for hotel quarantine and border workers and frontline healthcare workers.
The remainder will be used by the commonwealth to vaccinate aged care and disability care residents.
“Getting the jab is good for you, it’s good for the community, it’s good for the Territory,” Mr Gunner said.
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