The first doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine have touched down in Australia as preparations continue for the first stage of the national rollout, Health Minister Greg Hunt says.
People will begin receiving the vaccine from Monday, February 22, with more than 142,000 doses arriving in Sydney just after midday today.
"They will now be subject to security, quality assurance, in particular to ensure that temperature maintenance has been preserved throughout the course of the flight, to ensure the integrity of the doses, and to ensure there has been no damage," Mr Hunt said.
The vaccine has to be kept between -60 and -90 degrees Celsius.
The Government is releasing 80,000 doses of the vaccine next week, with 50,000 going to states and territories to vaccinate frontline quarantine and health workers, and 30,000 to aged care and disability care residents and workers.
Mr Hunt said the Government expected 60,000 doses would be given out by the end of the month, meaning the rollout was "slightly ahead of schedule".
"We have to allow for the time taken for [the vaccine] to be administered, for any issues that occur along the way," he said.
"We have to be realistic, at some point there will be a vial which is dropped.
"There will be other elements that will occur, we want to put all of this into perspective that the normal course of human activity will occur during the course of the vaccine rollout."
The Health Minister described the states and territories as "magnificently prepared" to receive the vaccine.
Rolling out the Pfizer vaccine across the country has been described as the largest logistical challenge since World War II.
More to come.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTAyLTE1L3BmaXplci1jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy12YWNjaW5lLWRvc2VzLWFycml2ZS1hdXN0cmFsaWEtcm9sbG91dC8xMzE1NTcyNtIBJ2h0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMzE1NTcyNg?oc=5
2021-02-15 02:17:00Z
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