Boost for AstraZeneca jab rollout The nation’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout has been given an enormous boost with a chief scientist receiving his first locally made jab.
Health by Jack Paynter 14th May 2021 1:40 PM CSL s chief scientist has received his first dose of a locally made AstraZeneca vaccine in a strong show of confidence for the COVID-19 jab. CSL chief scientific officer Dr Andrew Nash received his first dose from Dr Tony Bartone, the past president of the Australian Medical Association Victorian branch, on Friday morning ahead of the ramping up of the phase 2a rollout. From Monday, Australians aged 50 years and older will be able to receive the AstraZeneca jab at a participating general practice as the federal government picks up the pace to try to get the adult population vaccinated by Christmas.
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Victoria s plan for a specialised quarantine centre in Melbourne s north appears unlikely to get federal backing after a cabinet minister criticised the project.
The proposed 500-bed centre on Melbourne s northern fringe, announced by the state government on Thursday, needs $200 million in federal funds, with the state chipping in $15 million for design and planning. I have seen some political smoke and mirrors over my time and I think this is right at the top of the list, Defence Minister Peter Dutton told the Nine Network on Friday morning.
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Quarantine arrangements for returning Australians will be on the agenda at Friday s national cabinet meeting of premiers and chief ministers led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
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Major vaccination hubs have scaled back or closed over the Easter long weekend amid claims from the Victorian government it is so far ahead in its frontline worker milestones it can leave vials waiting in the fridge.
General practitioners and their staff, meanwhile, are working outside regular business hours to keep up with demand from members of the public who are being turned away from Victorian government-run hubs.
The mass vaccination centre at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building.
Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui
Only 1015 shots were given out in state-run hubs on Good Friday compared to 7512 the day before. A Health Department spokesman said Friday’s small total reflected typical public holiday or weekend rates.
Experts Call for Mandatory Use of Victoria’s QR App to Streamline Contact Tracing March 16, 2021 Updated: March 16, 2021
The Victorian state government is being urged to make its centralised QR tracing app mandatory as pressure mounts for the state to improve its contact tracing system.
The call follows criticism from the Victorian Health Department, who blamed businesses for providing incorrect or incomplete QR code information used for contact tracing during the Holiday Inn Cluster outbreak that resulted in the state’s snap 5-day lockdown.
Currently, Victorian businesses can use either private record-keeping systems or the Service Victoria QR app. In contrast, other states such as NSW and the ACT have made it compulsory for businesses to use its centralised government app.
Victoria s new digital contact tracing broke down before lockdown - with the WRONG list of contacts dailymail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.