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NZ warned not to expect a Covid-19 vaccine rollout until mid-2021

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 23 Nov 2020, 4:45PM
(Photo / AP)
(Photo / AP)

NZ warned not to expect a Covid-19 vaccine rollout until mid-2021

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 23 Nov 2020, 4:45PM

There are differing views on when a Covid-19 vaccine could be made available. 

The head of the U.S. effort to produce a coronavirus vaccine says the first immunisations could happen on December 12.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee is set to meet Dec. 10 to discuss Pfizer Inc.’s request for an emergency use authorisation for its developing COVID-19 vaccine.

Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech recently announced that the vaccine appears 95% effective at preventing mild to severe COVID-19 disease in a large, ongoing study.

Dr. Moncef Slaoui, head of the Operation Warp Speed, the coronavirus vaccine program, says plans are to ship vaccines to states within 24 hours of expected FDA approval.

Slaoui told CNN he expects vaccinations would begin on the second day after approval, Dec. 12.

However, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern isn't putting a date on when the vaccine will start being rolled out in New Zealand.

She told Mike Hosking New Zealand is in line for the vaccine, but she doubts the New Zealand roll-out will begin before Christmas.

"Some of these countries that are looking to start these rollouts as soon as possible, this is life or death for them. They have people dying at extraordinary rates."

Ardern says that not every country is getting everything at the same time, as there is not enough to be produced for the world all at once. 

Malaghan Institute director Graham Le Gross says that Ardern is simply being realistic, saying we have a wait on our hands.

"You can see the numbers. 6 billion vaccine doses have been advanced purchased by rich, wealthy countries. We're going to have to fight hard to get our collection of vaccines." 

Le Gros says that there would likely be a time limit in place for when we get our vaccines, but we won't be the first cab off the rank.

There are other things that need to be in place first, including the infrastructure. 

"We've got to fly the vaccine out to us at -70, and we've got to get our distribution, we've got to do it right."

He says that means that we likely won't see the vaccine in New Zealand until mid-2021. 

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