Vaccine supply had been “a significant issue” in the early stages of the vaccine program,Health Department secretary Professor Brendan Murphy said.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
Health Department secretary Professor Brendan Murphy told a parliamentary COVID committee hearing on Thursday afternoon some people might have had only their first dose by the end of October.
“The great majority of people will have had two vaccines by then,and everyone will have had one,and it’s a semantic difference where there are a small proportion who have to come back a little bit later for their second dose,” he said.
Almost three weeks into the national COVID-19 vaccine rollout,125,000 people have received their first dose. The federal government has previously said phase 1a,covering almost 680,000 aged care residents,healthcare workers and quarantine staff,will be completed within six weeks.
The government has also repeatedly said all adults who want it will be vaccinated by the end of October.
Health Department associate secretary Caroline Edwards said all first doses would be delivered by October,but conceded the 12-week wait between AstraZeneca doses recommended by Australia’s expert vaccine taskforce meant some people might not receive their second dose until mid-January.
“If we don’t succeed to have everyone have two doses[by the end of October] then it inevitably follows that your second dose will be 12 weeks after that in accordance with the protocol,” she said. “But that will be the end date if it goes beyond October and we’ve said all along we’re planning to finish both doses by October if we possibly can.”