Coronavirus: Australia immune from EU vaccination curbs

The Morrison government claims Australia’s vaccine rollout remains on track, despite the EU planning to restrict the export of Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison meets with Savannah Alegre, a specialist at the microbiology laboratory at AstraZeneca in Sydney last year. Picture: Getty Images

Health Minister Greg Hunt has claimed Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout remains on track despite the European Union planning to restrict the export of Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs.

Mr Hunt’s assurance on vaccine supplies came as the travel bubble with New Zealand was reopened after no new cases of the South African variant of the virus were detected.

Mr Hunt said Europe’s threats to restrict vaccine exports were not aimed at Australia, despite the Morrison government not receiving a formal exemption.

“The guidance from the EU is provisional and preliminary at this stage, so I will remain cautious, but that guidance is that the EU regulatory steps are not aimed at Australia and not expected to affect Australia,” Mr Hunt said.

“But we’ll continue to engage with the EU on a daily basis, and at this point in time we are in the very fortunate position of having guidance that our international supplies, Pfizer commencing with approximately 80,000 doses per week in late February, AstraZeneca with approximately 1.2 million doses for March, (will be) commencing in early March.

“Then, very importantly, bringing forward ahead of schedule the CSL doses, at approximately one million per week, commencing in late March, which would deliver two million doses of the AstraZeneca CSL-produced vaccine here in ­Australia.”

On Friday, the European Commission began hoarding the vaccines for 450 million Europeans after claiming the UK had “hijacked’’ doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine made in a Brussels plant.

Mr Hunt said the government had sought clarity on the implications of the EU’s plan from the EU, Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

“I’ve spoken directly with the Australian country heads of Pfizer and (AstraZeneca),” Mr Hunt said.

“We have our diplomats that are working with the World Health Organisation and the European Union through the commission.

“And the advice that we have from all three sources at this stage is that our vaccine supply and guidance remains on track.”

Mr Hunt said there would be 50 million doses of the vaccine produced in Australia by CSL.

“There’ll be lots of ups and downs around the world. Global supply challenges, there’ll be issues over the coming months, inevitably,” Mr Hunt said.

“But we have developed a strategy for all circumstances and I think that’s extremely important comfort for Australians.

“We’ll just keep going, and our goal is very clear and our advice is very clear that we aim to have the country vaccinated before the end of October.”

Trade Minister Dan Tehan told Sky News the federal government would “be making representation” when they saw signs of vaccine nationalism occurring.

“The only way, in the end, that we will be able to successfully deal with the pandemic is by having a consistent approach right across the globe to the rollout of the vaccine,” he said.

Acting chief medical officer Michael Kidd gave the green light on Sunday for flights to come to Australia from New Zealand after travel bubble the program was paused last week.

“The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee at its meeting this morning noted that there had been no further confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the community in New Zealand since the initial three cases were infected with what was concerned — the B1351 variant — known as the South African variant,” Professor Kidd said.

“Given there is still a small risk of further associated cases being detected and with an abundance of caution, I’ve recommended to the Australian government that pre- and post-flight screening be implemented for all safe travel zone flights from New Zealand for the next 10 days.

“As well as being screened for possible symptoms of COVID-19, this screening will check that travellers have not been identified as close contacts of the infected cases.”