Vaccines program ‘on track’ despite EU block

Locally made AstraZeneca vaccines will be rolled out from March 22, as Italy blocked a shipment of 250,000 doses to Australia.

Dr Peter Rischbieth is given the AstraZeneca vaccine from nurse Maria Reich at Murray Bridge Hospital, east of Adelaide. Picture: AAP

Locally made AstraZeneca vaccines will be rolled out from March 22 after Scott Morrison declared the COVID-19 inoculation program was on track ­despite Italy blocking a shipment of 250,000 doses to Australia.

The Prime Minister said locally made vaccines gave “us sovereignty over our vaccination program” after the EU approved Italy’s request to block AstraZeneca vaccines coming to Australia through the controversial export control mechanism.

“We have been able to secure our supplies, and additional supplies for importation, both with Pfizer and AstraZeneca, which means we can continue the rollout of our program,” Mr Morrison said in Sydney after a meeting of national cabinet.

“So, I want to assure Australians that we’ve been able to ­secure those vaccines. This particular shipment was not one we’d counted on for the rollout, and so we will continue unabated.”

When asked about whether he was concerned about “vaccine nationalism” in Europe, Mr Morrison said it was important that contracts were honoured.

“It’s important that the vaccines not only reach across Europe and North America, but particularly in the developing world as well,” he said.

The NSW government also announced that restrictions would be eased from Monday, with parents allowed back in school grounds, while dancing and singing events could restart.

Queensland announced caps on guests at weddings and funerals would be lifted from the current 200 restriction provided ­venues were big enough.

Mr Morrison labelled Friday as “another V-Day” after the first AstraZeneca vaccine was administered in Australia, to frontline health staff at the South Australian town of Murray Bridge.

The first Pfizer vaccines were administered last month.

“It’s another V-Day for Australia — another vaccination day. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been administered in South Australia,” he said.

Health Department secretary Brendan Murphy said the rollout was “going well” despite a “once-in-a-generation logistical challenge”.

“The really, really exciting thing is that in the week beginning 22 March we will start to ­release the onshore supply of ­AstraZeneca vaccine,” Dr Murphy said.

“A million doses-plus a week, which gives us the capacity to ­really ramp up and broadly vaccinate our population as quickly as possible.

“It will be rolling out among other states over the course of the next few days.”

Health Minister Greg Hunt claimed Australia would be “unaffected” by vaccine export controls from Europe, despite the blocking of 250,000 doses.

“Obviously one country for one shipment has made an ­announcement, and so Australia has raised the issue with the ­European Commission through multiple channels, and in particular, we have asked the European Commission to review this decision,” Mr Hunt said.

“But when I say that the AstraZeneca supply chain is a global supply chain, we work with the company on ensuring that we have continued supply to Australia.”