1/ On the “eggs/basket” argument. Australia procured 4 vaccines. Pfizer will cover 40% of the population (up from 20% earlier this year). Its delivery schedule is slow and is up to Pfizer. Bizarrely, the source of delivery is classified. Pfizer can be slow tho - look at NZ.

2/ we’ve also got Novovax in the way, which would cover 100% of popltn, but note ita trials aren’t over and I don’t think it’s approved anywhere.

Big push for AZ may be driven by cost but I think much more influential is that we can manufacture it here. We can’t make Pfizer.

3/ the supply issues in Europe (and now UK, which is waiting on AZ from India) demonstrate how important local manufacturing capacity is. Very few countries can make the mRNA vaccines as yet. We could (and should) build a factory but that takes time.

4/ my understanding is that we should also be able to make a Novovax so I’m not sure why it’s being reported that that’ll have to be imported.

The final vaccine was UQ, discontinued 4 mths ago coz of false HIV positive tests. I do think it’s worth looking at again

5/ so I think the amount of Pfizer procured is fair. Sure, we should have grabbed some Moderna too, but now none available til 2022. Months ago CMO Paul Kelly indicated we just couldn’t come to a deal with J & J - hmm.

Sputnik? Safety data patchy. Sinovac less efficacy

6/ so it’s not so easy as snapping fingers and making new vaccines appear, despite the crowing of certain #zerocovid zealots.

7/ I can’t say if ATAGI advice is correct, it’s a risk analysis. And it’s true that Aust CV19 v low, esp for the young.

But that risk is also premised on us remaining in status quo limbo, which will kill international tourism, devastate unis & ... yeah I wanna go OS again too