Urgent laws to make COVID-19 vaccine rollout easier introduced in NT
Urgent laws to aid the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine in the Northern Territory have been introduced to parliament, as health authorities prepare to begin vaccinating frontline workers from next week.
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URGENT laws to aid the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine in the Northern Territory have been introduced to parliament, as health authorities prepare to begin vaccinating frontline workers from next week.
It comes as Australia’s drugs umpire approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for use in people aged 18 and older. There will be 50 million doses manufactured in the country.
NT pharmacies and health organisations gear up to provide COVID-19 vaccination
Proposed changes to the Territory’s laws, according to Health Minister Natasha Fyles, will allow the COVID-19 vaccine to be administered at any location the chief health officer deems appropriate, including in people’s homes, without having to go through paperwork.
The normal process of gazetting a vaccine location takes at least two weeks and Ms Fyles said there could potentially be 80,000 locations across the Territory where the vaccine would be administered.
“This will allow a more flexible, culturally appropriate and responsive rollout of COVID-19 vaccines across the Northern Territory and provide the ability to manage the spectrum of COVID-19 vaccines as they become available,” she said.
The laws would also make it an offence punishable by a fine of up to $15,000 for breaching the COVID-19 vaccine rollout protocol, including the need for mandatory training of medical professionals.
The government hopes to pass the laws by next week, which is when the first tranche of 3000 frontline workers will receive their jab at Royal Darwin Hospital.
A second vaccine hub will be established in Alice Springs.
NT Health Medicines Management executive director Bhavini Patel said the Territory would be looking at vaccine rollout programs internationally to figure out the best way to disseminate the vaccine without wasting any doses due to people failing to show up for appointments.
Ms Fyles said she expected it would take until the end of the year to vaccinate all Territorians.
The Territory is expected to receive 4000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in the first four weeks of the rollout, with 1000 doses to be administered per week.
The first Parliamentary sittings for the year will also see the Territory Labor Government deliver its election commitment and introduce a “ringleader” offence in the Criminal Code Amendment Bill 2021.
The purpose of this bill is to create a new offence of recruiting a child to engage in criminal activity.
It also targets offenders who commit crimes in groups.
The week will also see the introduction of the Police Administration Amendment Bill 2021. The amendment, which meets the recommendations of the Coroner, will allow officers to enter premises without a warrant, to prevent imminent harm to children.
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