Australians are likely to be told by their GP when it is their turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine and will receive an emailed vaccine certificate after receiving the jab, as more details of Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout are revealed.
Key points:
- The finer details of Australia's vaccine rollout plan are emerging as the country gets closer to first inoculations
- It comes as early modelling suggests 200,000 Australians a day will need to get jabs for the Government to reach its October target
- Despite a huge number expressing interest, some GPs are concerned about the logistics and financial burden of the rollout plan
As the first Australians get set to receive the Pfizer jab later this month, more information is emerging about the operation, which has been described as the largest logistical effort since World War II.
It is understood Australians are likely to get sent the information directly or through their GP when it is their turn to get the COVID vaccine, with a national public health campaign to alert Australians when the rollout moves into its different phases.
Other details in the plan include:
- A national front door booking system so people can book directly with a GP clinic or pharmacy once contacted
- As the rollout is primarily based on age, most people will only need to show their driver's license to show they are eligible
- Healthcare providers will email through a certificate which can be printed out once a person is inoculated
- The medical provider will upload details of who has had a vaccine to the person's Australian Immunisation Register, which records all vaccines given to people in Australia
Authorities will set up a national database and any side effects or adverse events, if they occur, will be made public
'200,000 doses a day'
The new information comes as early-stage modelling shows the enormity of the task ahead.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales released a pre-print paper this week — which is yet to be peer-reviewed — estimating 200,000 Australians need to receive the jab every day for the Government to reach its October target of vaccinating every Australian.
The UK, which has been rolling out its vaccine for more than a month, is so far vaccinating around 200,000 people a day with Israel so far the the world leader.
The Australian Government so far has declined to commit to a target, with Health Department secretary Brendan Murphy telling a Parliamentary Committee on Friday "we will scale up according to what we've got".
"We're very wary about quoting numbers," Professor Murphy said.
"There will be hiccups, we should expect them. But we have all sorts of mitigations [and] we're planning for all contingencies.
"We're planning for each and every scenario [with] doses into every location, each location available to us.
"But 1 million [vaccines] a week is the level that [CSL] can deliver [the AstraZeneca vaccine]."
Some GPs say plan 'wont work effectively'
In early-stage planning, the Government has been aiming for about 1,000 GP clinics to sign up to administer the AstraZeneca jab, which will rollout after the Pfizer jab.
According to the Government, so far about 2,000 clinics have expressed an interest, however, the ABC understands the figure is likely to be much higher.
Pharmacies are also in-line to be a part of the rollout, with the expressions of interests closing on Monday, but the Government has not yet revealed how many have come on board.
Professor Murphy said nurses at GP clinics would be "the backbone" of the vaccine rollout, and although GPs would be on hand to answer questions, nurses would take on the majority of the vaccinations.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners have both backed the rollout plan.
However, the Australian GP Alliance said there were many logistical and financial hurdles to overcome before the full rollout commenced.
Dr Maria Boulton is a Brisbane GP and part of the Alliance. She said she was concerned that the plan to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine to the majority of Australians would not work effectively.
"We're so keen to be a part of the vaccine rollout, but for many GP practices, it will be a financial loss for them," she said.
"We will do it because we want to help out and we want as many GPs to take part as possible.
She said many practices will need to buy special fridges and batteries to store the vaccines, which cost almost $7000.
"When respiratory clinics were set up at the start of the pandemic, GP clinics were offered some money upfront to fit the surgery up to do the testing," she said.
"We would like the same thing to happen now."
The Government on Monday announced $1.9 billion towards the coronavirus vaccine rollout, to help hospitals, GPs and pharmacies on the frontline deliver the jabs "to all corners of the country".
The specific details were not revealed, but hospitals are expected receive the majority of that funding.
It said pharmacies and GPs will also receive money to cover the costs of administering the vaccines, such as extra staff needed to help deliver it across the country, including in regional and remote areas.
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2021-02-05 18:58:00Z
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