Victoria marks 11 days with new ZERO coronavirus cases – but millions are still being admitted to hotel quarantine in one state
- Victoria has now gone 11 days without the Covid community release
- The AstraZeneca vaccine was introduced into the Pfizer vaccine by approval in Australia
- Concerns over Australian vaccine distribution hampered by EU blockade of 250,000 AZ doses
Victoria has recorded 11 days without a locally sourced COVID-19 case while reading to administer the state’s first AstraZeneca vaccines.
Despite the impressive milestone, Victorians cannot travel to Western Australia without undergoing two weeks of compulsory quarantine.
Residents of other states are allowed to enter WA carefully without quarantine – with officials insisting that community referrals do not have to exist for 28 days before admission.
A Victorian airline quarantine employee tested positive for the virus on Monday, with another case recorded in quarantine on Tuesday.
Victoria’s Deputy Chief of Health Allan Cheng will receive the Pfizer vaccine on March 5 – as the state enjoys 11 days without new cases
The EU banned shippers of AstraZeneca vaccines from leaving Italy for Australia on Thursday, drawing on controversial export laws for the first time. Pictured: First cargo of AstraZeneca arrives in Australia on 28 February
It will bring the number of active cases in the state to five.
Victoria is expected to begin administering the first of the 50,800 AstraZeneca doses this week.
On Sunday, 844 vaccines were given.
That brings the total number of doses administered in Victoria to 14,222, since the release of the Pfizer vaccine began from 22 February.
Last week the European Union was accused of ‘bullying’ and exploded as a ‘total disgrace’ after it stopped shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines to Australia.
The European Union has been accused of ‘bullying’ and erupted as a ‘total disgrace’ after it stopped the shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines to Australia
The first 142,000 in Australia of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine arrived last month (pictured at Sydney Airport)
Authorities in Italy have drawn on controversial export laws for the first time, refusing to grant permission for the export of 250,000 doses made in the country.
The batch was suspended due to ‘continuing shortages of vaccines in the EU and Italy and delays in supplies from AstraZeneca to the EU and Italy,’ Italy’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Italy also argues that Australia is not a high-risk country, with low numbers of death and death cases, completely different from countries affected by the pandemic.
Victorian Deputy Health Officer Allen Cheng said the move shows how fortunate Australia is in making vaccines on land.
Mr Cheng was not worried it would disrupt Australia’s distribution program.
”[This] just confirms how lucky we are to get local produce. It may not come in just as we expected, but it does, ‘Dr Cheng told 3AW last week.
The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration was only the second regulator in the world – after the European Medicines Agency – to give full approval to the injection after dozens of countries such as the UK issued the injection early under emergency leave.
Australians receive two doses of the vaccine, administered at Oxford University, three months apart.
Health workers in Berlin prepare syringes with new AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid this month
The vaccine will stop everyone who gets it from dying with Covid and will stop 82 per cent of people from getting sick from the disease.
It is not yet clear whether it will stop asymptomatic transmission, which may be important in reopening the country’s border.
‘The vaccine has met standards, safety, quality and efficacy requirements, and will be provided free of charge to Australians,’ said Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Australia has ordered the vaccine from overseas and it will arrive in early March.
The government is also making a million doses a week at the CSL factory in Melbourne, with the first local batch due in late March.
Officials aim to vaccinate four million people by April and all by October.