10.21pm EDT22:21
AMA still backs official ATAGI advice on AstraZeneca
The head of the Australian Medical Association [AMA] Dr Omar Khorshid said he was given no notice that the prime minister would encourage anyone under 60 to get the AstraZeneca vaccine, and that the AMA is still backing the official advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation [ATAGI].
On Monday night Scott Morrison announced anyone under 40 who is not yet eligible for a Pfizer vaccine is now able to go to their GP and receive the AstraZeneca vaccine if their doctor gives medical approval.
It took us by surprise, and it’s hard to know how to take that announcement because I think it’s going to be a limited number of people to take it up, given that they would be going against the expert ATAGI recommendation…
We knew about the indemnity announcement but we didn’t expect the AstraZeneca announcement. Our recommendation is still really for patients to follow the ATAGI advice. Be patient and have the ATAGI-recommended vaccine when it’s available. I am certainly still backing the expert advice at this stage.”
I asked Khorshid why he thinks the federal government made the announcement then, given the AMA wasn’t informed, and given the ATAGI advice still stands. He said;
You’d have to ask the government but my guess is that they are wanting to provide nervous Australians who are going into lockdown this week with something that they can actually do to improve their chances of getting through this and to push the nation’s vaccination program forward…
We do have surplus doses that are currently not being used so there is some capacity to bump up the delivery. So I presume they’re just… trying to take advantage of the crisis that’s now engulfing the nation with this delta outbreak. And of course if delta really does ingrain itself in our community and the lockdowns aren’t successful or they’re too slow, then speeding up the vaccination program by using more options on the table is wise. The problem, of course, unfortunately, is that for the delta virus you need both doses to get reasonable protection and for AstraZeneca, that’s a minimum of eight weeks apart.”
Khorshid said a priority for the AMA in light of last night’s announcement would be getting the new item number which covers consultations with a GP about the vaccine extended to include other age groups. At the moment, the item number only applies to those over 50.
I’ve spoken to the chief medical officer and I understand he’s going to get some advice out as soon as it is written to GPs…
The consultation item number was brand new anyway, it’s only a week old or something. So I don’t think the GPs have got their heads yet around how to use that. But certainly it’s not available for anyone under the age of 50 at this stage, so that consultation is just about the vaccines… it is actually not currently funded by Medicare. We need to patch that little hole, fairly promptly.
10.17pm EDT22:17
GPs react to updated AstraZeneca eligibility
I’ve been speaking with GPs this morning about the latest changes on AstraZeneca, announced by the prime minister, Scott Morrison, last night.
Most doctors told me they had no forewarning and are yet to receive any information from the federal government about the new policy or the changes to indemnity arrangements.
The federal health department’s eligibility checker also appears still to be telling younger Australians they are not eligible, unless they are a priority worker, have underlying health conditions, or require travel for essential work.
Dr Matthew Cardone, a GP in the Tweed, told me the announcement was yet another example of poor communication from the government.
All of our announcements we are learning in real-time with the patients, as they appear on the media. I have no formal documentation from the department of health at this stage regarding the changes in indemnity or the changes in policy. It’s frustrating, we just need clear, early messaging so we can be prepared to pivot with the program as it evolves. That’s not happening.
He said his clinic had seen a slight uptick in calls this morning from patients seeking AstraZeneca. But he said most of the extra demand was being driven by the spread of the Delta variant, rather than the announcement.
The failing here was that they should have had large amounts of Pfizer out to the general public sooner and they should have had AstraZeneca supply out to general practices three months ago, instead of trying to get rid of older stock now.
Dr Maria Boulton, a GP in Brisbane, said she was yet to see any increase in calls following the announcement.
But she said GPs were “very frustrated” that they continue to learn about important changes in the media.
It gives us no time to prepare … We are waiting to receive more details.
Dr Nathan Pinskier, a GP in Melbourne, welcomed the government’s announcement, saying it was overdue but a “perfectly practical” way forward, given the large number of younger Australians who wanted the vaccine. He said it needed to be supported with a vaccine awareness campaign.
Pinskier was also given no forewarning of the announcement.
Updated
at 10.20pm EDT
10.02pm EDT22:02
Police in New South Wales have confirmed that the deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, has been fined $200 for not wearing a mask at an Armidale service station.
A police spokesman has told me a 54-year-old man was issued the fine after receiving a crime stoppers report in relation to a “possible breach” of public health orders at about 8am yesterday. Their inquiries revealed Joyce was not wearing a mask while he was inside the service station, and he was fined shortly after.
It’s understood he was there filling his car up with petrol, and was only inside for a short time.
Here is Joyce on the situation:
I went into the Caltex service station, I was going to the airport, filled the car up with fuel, went in, 30 seconds later $200 it cost me – because I didn’t wear one of these [a mask].
