Coronavirus: Anthony Albanese pushing for a faster vaccine rollout

Anthony Albanese has called for a faster rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and urged the Morrison government to obtain more doses.

‘We clearly need more than 10 million doses. In short, more doses, more quickly’: Labor leader Anthony Albanese. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Wayne Taylor

Anthony Albanese has called for a faster rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and urged the Morrison government to obtain more doses to more quickly vaccinate the Australian population.

The Labor leader told The Daily Telegraph that while he respected due process, there was no sense in waiting until March if approval for a vaccine arrived earlier.

“Labor respects Therapeutic Goods Administration processes but if it approves the Pfizer vaccine in January, it makes no sense not to have access until March,” he told The Telegraph.

“We clearly need more than 10 million doses. In short, more doses, more quickly.”

The Morrison government has declined to expedite a vac­cines rollout, despite the US, Britain and Europe fast-tracking vaccine approvals, saying Australia’s low case numbers give it time to assess the success of ­vaccines in the rest of the world.

A discussion on implementation of a vaccine rollout plan is set to take place on Wednesday.

Mr Albanese on Tuesday tweeted: “Coronavirus hasn’t gone away. And with a vaccine still months away, we have to ask the question: why hasn’t the Morrison government acted on national quarantine?”

Coronavirus hasn't gone away. And with a vaccine still months away, we have to ask the question: why hasn't the Morrison Government acted on national quarantine? It's their responsibility, and they have a duty to act – to prevent future outbreaks, and to keep people safe. pic.twitter.com/w9Pvad7URY

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) December 22, 2020