BREAKING

PM Scott Morrison says Australia's regulators will provide under 50s with an 'advisory' regarding rare blot clots associated with the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine.

Australia's already-delayed rollout largely depends on the AZ jab.

Professor Paul Kelly, Australia's Chief Medical Officer, says the use of Pfizer's vaccine will be preferred over use of AstraZeneca for adults aged under 50.

Anyone who has safely had a first dose of the AstraZeneca jab is still advised to get their second.

(consistent with advice in UK where rare instances of clots have occurred after first but not second dose.)

Dept of Health sec Brendan Murphy: 'clearly when we move into the broader younger population, we'll have to recalibrate' our vaccine rollout.

Huge implications here. Australia relied on the failed CSL trial and then AstraZeneca which it is producing locally for it's vax program

The government had previously said it would offer first dose to all adults by October, meaning international borders MIGHT be open by March next year.

Given Australia's zero-tolerance of Covid, more lockdowns, border bans seem more likely now at the very least for rest of 2021.

The government appears to be hoping they'll secure more Pfizer vaccines.

Murphy says it's important that Australians remember that with no transmission health workers are not at high risk.

(Bris just locked down after case spilled out in healthcare setting)...

What's happened here? Australian government was too slow to secure vaccine supplies from a broad range of candidates.

This all goes back to lack of action last year when focus was on elimination and doughnuts v long-term route to life in a world with Covid.

Now Australia finds itself in an unenviable position of trying to scramble for vaccines at a time when demand+cost will be highest and supplies already scarce.

PM Morrison says the 'advisory' is not a directive and that people under 50 can continue to choose to use AstraZeneca vaccine.

Morrison: 'our purpose here tonight is to reassure Australians, we're being clear about the very low level of risk here.'

Murphy: we still have a big need for AstraZeneca. CSL will continue to make AstraZeneca, we will review output with them. They can't make another vaccine while they're making AZ.

He says Aust will see if it can try and produce Novavax at home but for now waiting on os supplies.

Health Minister Greg Hunt says Novavax vaccines are due in Australia in the third-quarter of this year.

TGA is still to approve Novavax.

Morrison finally asked for new timeline on Australia's vaccine rollout.

'In terms of what the overall implications are it's too early to give you that answer.'

Morrison, who missed his own goal of 4 million jabs by April by more than 3 million, says the new advisory on AstraZeneca - effectively restricting the vaccine to over50s - won't affect the early rollout.

Morrison - says the whole world is going through the same issues re changed advice on AZ.
Yes and no.

Some countries were smart and locked in contracts with a wide range of vaccine candidates.
EG: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-covid-19-vaccines-delivery-plan/uk-covid-19-vaccines-delivery-plan

Morrison says a setback like the one Australia experiencing re AstraZeneca does not carry the same risk to life and economy as other countries.

Morrison does not commit to offering first dose to Australians by end of year. Previous target was by October.

It's interesting the countries/leaders that went hard and early on backing vaccines - Trump (Warp speed and accelerated by Biden), Bibi - (Pfizer's testbed) and Boris (worst management in Europe but early on backed vaccines as the sustainable route out of the pandemic.)

Whereas some of the countries/leaders that did so well in the first leg and rightly lauded for preventing so many deaths, NZ, Aus etc were slow to forsee what the second phase would require - science/vaccines/supply.