4 years ago
MORE COVID VACCINE DEALS NEEDED URGENTLY
CHRIS BOWEN MP
Australia remains at the back of the queue for leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates and must urgently strike more supply agreements.
Under questioning today, Department of Health officials confirmed Australia has secured no additional advanced supply deals beyond AstraZeneca (Oxford University) and CSL (University of Queensland).
Equivalent health systems like Canada, the UK, the European Union and the US all have six deals each.
Health officials also confirmed that the agreement with the COVAX facility would only cover half of Australia’s population.
Labor pushed for and welcomed the advanced supply deals with AstraZeneca (Oxford University) and CSL (University of Queensland) just last month.
But Australia was late to the party and we haven’t caught up.
Even if Australia does secure access to additional candidates, our supply chains are unprepared for many vaccines.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has recognised the promise of a Pfizer vaccine, designating it as one of just two candidates for potential accelerated approval.
But the Pfizer vaccine and the many other mRNA vaccines require complex ‘cold chain’ sub-zero supply chains for distribution and supply.
Australia currently has no capacity to deliver this.
We’ve lost 905 lives to COVID-19, and it has made tens of thousands sick.
It has crippled our economy and put hundreds of thousands of Australians out of work.
Yet we only have two supply deals.
It’s imperative the Government secure advanced supply deals with multiple possible candidates, to give Australia’s health and economy the best chance in recovery.
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
Under questioning today, Department of Health officials confirmed Australia has secured no additional advanced supply deals beyond AstraZeneca (Oxford University) and CSL (University of Queensland).
Equivalent health systems like Canada, the UK, the European Union and the US all have six deals each.
Health officials also confirmed that the agreement with the COVAX facility would only cover half of Australia’s population.
Labor pushed for and welcomed the advanced supply deals with AstraZeneca (Oxford University) and CSL (University of Queensland) just last month.
But Australia was late to the party and we haven’t caught up.
Even if Australia does secure access to additional candidates, our supply chains are unprepared for many vaccines.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has recognised the promise of a Pfizer vaccine, designating it as one of just two candidates for potential accelerated approval.
But the Pfizer vaccine and the many other mRNA vaccines require complex ‘cold chain’ sub-zero supply chains for distribution and supply.
Australia currently has no capacity to deliver this.
We’ve lost 905 lives to COVID-19, and it has made tens of thousands sick.
It has crippled our economy and put hundreds of thousands of Australians out of work.
Yet we only have two supply deals.
It’s imperative the Government secure advanced supply deals with multiple possible candidates, to give Australia’s health and economy the best chance in recovery.
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.