Poland has provided Australia with an additional 1 million Pfizer vaccines, and young people of affected parts of Sydney will be prioritised.
“We have been in discussions with the Polish government now for several weeks, and we have secured an additional 1 million doses of Pfizer and they will start landing in Australia tonight“, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday.
Following the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, the federal government stated that approximately 50 per cent of the shipment will be targeted towards young people in NSW’s worst-affected areas.
“This will give everyone aged 20-to-39 years in the 12 LGAs the opportunity to be vaccinated. The remaining 470,340 Pfizer doses will be distributed on a per capita basis to other states and territories“, the federal government said in a statement.
“The 1 million doses, I’ve discussed this with the NSW Premier yesterday, will be targeted to Australians aged 20 to 39 years of age who are identified in the Doherty modelling as the peak transmitters for COVID-19,” Morrison highlighted.
@NSWHealth when will the eligibility checker include 18-39 year olds for Pfizer jab as per PMs announcement today? NSW will receive over half a million doses.
— Monish Nand (@MonishNand) August 15, 2021
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has reiterated that finding:
“They are the ones that are mobile because of their work. They are the ones who cross three generations, and they are ones who were part of the 70 per cent of cases we are currently experiencing in those most problematic areas“.
The news follows the recent decision to plunge the entirety of NSW into lockdown.
“The decision taken by the New South Wales government is consistent with the advice that I have received, and the Health Minister has received, and indeed the national security of cabinet committee has received, about the need for a broader and stronger lockdown in New South Wales to get on top of the virus,” Morrison asserted.
The PM has urged the NSW public to stick to the strict lockdown rules.
“There are two things we can do. I need you to stay at home and you needed more vaccines from us,” he stated.
“More vaccines are on their way, they’ll be there this week. And so I need Sydneysiders to stay home so we can beat this thing.
“That’s the only way we’re going to get on top of it, those two things combined, working together, suppress and vaccinate.“
“Indeed, there is more than a million doses of hope on its way.”
Currently, Australia is achieving 1.5 million doses of the vaccine each week.
Australians must be commended for this incredible achievement, as by next week 50 per cent of the nation will have received at least one dose.
