100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

Australia's second vaccine, AstraZeneca, will be ready to begin jabs in March

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

Millions spent on harbour entrance amid lack of options

More than $5 million has been spent on dredging the Sunshine Coast’s main harbour entrance over the past five years in a bid to More

Surf club elects its first female president

A Coast surf lifesaving club has made history by electing its first female president. Victoria Berry took the helm at the Maroochydore Surf Life Saving More

Key change: music venue plans to add brewery

A live music venue that began as a custom guitar workshop is seeking to add a brewery and the sale of food and beverages More

Busy transport hub gears up for new bus depot

A tourist hotspot is gearing up for a new bus depot, which would improve bus running times and reduce CO2 emissions in the congested More

Billions locked in for Games as Coast venues move ahead

A deal locking in billions for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games has been struck between Queensland and the federal government, aimed at giving More

‘On notice’: crackdown on illegal camping resumes

Dozens of fines have been issued in a weekend blitz on illegal camping, following a surge in community complaints. More than 30 illegal campers received More

Australia’s second COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be ready for jabs by the end of March following Tuesday’s approval by the regulator.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration gave the green light to the AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged 18 and over, with decisions about those aged over 65 to be made on a case-by-case basis.

An initial supply of 3.8 million doses of the vaccine will be imported into Australia before millions more are manufactured at a CSL plant in Melbourne.

The vaccine has been found to have an efficacy rate of 82 per cent when two doses are administered 12 weeks apart.

AstraZeneca senior executive Liz Chatwin said it was important for Australians to remember the global nature of the pandemic, with thousands of people overseas being admitted to hospital and dying every day.

“So the overwhelming public health advice is that as many people as possible should be vaccinated.”

TGA boss John Skerritt said the vaccine was recommended for all ages.

“AstraZeneca gives us a vaccine that can be used in major facilities, in primary care through GPs and potentially through pharmacy practices,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“Having a vaccine accessible in a country as wide and brown as ours is important.”

It comes a day after an initial 142,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine arrived in the country with the first shots to start from Monday.

Pfizer has recorded efficacy rates of up to 95 per cent after two doses with a 21-day gap.

However, Professor Skerritt said there was “not a difference when you go into the real world” as to something being 82 or 90 per cent effective.

“What is important is to get vaccines into people’s arms.”

Labor’s health spokesman Mark Butler called for more details from the government.

“How will the online booking system work? How will the vaccines be distributed to the states? When will we start to see jabs actually in people’s arms?” he said.

A new Health Department survey found 64 per cent of Australians would definitely get the jab, while 27 per cent were unsure and nine per cent said they would not get it.

The top three motivating factors were self-protection, keeping Australia safe and protecting the elderly and vulnerable.

Among the barriers for those who are concerned were long-term side effects, the vaccines’ quick development and potential allergic reactions.

Meanwhile, hotel quarantine remains the subject of national debate after two billionaire businessmen offered to run regional isolation centres in Victoria and Queensland.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is looking at building a quarantine facility either at Avalon or Tullamarine airport.

Mr Morrison is prepared to work with state governments on new isolation hubs but insists any new facility would supplement hotels.

The proposals are in response to quarantine breaches triggering snap lockdowns in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Victoria recorded two cases of local transmission on Tuesday, the fourth day of a five-day lockdown.

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share