Posted: 06:20, 18 July 2022 | Updated: 07:52, 18 July 2022
One hundred million Covid vaccines could be thrown in the bin in the coming months as Australia’s huge stockpile nears its end – with the country without a country or company to give them away.
The federal government bought 255 million jabs at the height of the Covid pandemic – but has only used 60 million – which is less than a quarter.
Australia donated another 40 million to other nations in the Indo-Pacific region, using UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) to distribute the rations.
Novavax, the latest Covid vaccine to be offered to Australians after receiving approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in January, has been largely shunned by Australians, with a staggering 99 per cent of the government’s order remaining untouched.
Just 162,000 doses of Novavax have been administered in Australia – compared to the 51 million ordered by the government.
Just 162,000 doses of Novavax have been administered in Australia – compared to the 51 million the government ordered (stock image)
Critics have questioned why Australia and other rich countries have ordered an oversupply of vaccines (pictured, workers unloading pallets of Moderna vaccines in 2021)
Novavax was not embraced by Australians, with 99 per cent of doses (pictured) going unused
Critics have questioned why Australia and other wealthy countries ordered an oversupply of vaccines.
Public health expert Deborah Gleeson (pictured) said Australia was one of many rich countries that had overpaid for Covid and were now facing an oversupply of jabs
Public health expert Deborah Gleeson, from La Trobe University, told the ABC the country’s purchases were excessive.
“Australia really participated in a larger trend we’ve seen around the world of rich countries buying far more doses of COVID-19 vaccines than they needed early in the pandemic,” Professor Gleeson said.
“And this is a practice that has unfortunately continued.”
Australia’s vast stockpile of vaccines could also become obsolete as pharmaceutical companies and biotech labs ramp up production and clinical trials of variant-specific vaccines.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has ordered a review of Australia’s vaccine deals in the hope of figuring out what to do with the oversupply.
“If it turns out we have a surplus, then I would like to have a range of options in front of us as to what to do with any surplus vaccines that we were contractually required to take,” Mr Butler said.
Health Secretary Mark Butler (pictured) announced the review of vaccine deals last month
Fears of what’s left could become obsolete as new ongoing variant-specific vaccines revive production in Australia and globally
In an interview with 3AW on July 6, Mr Butler said Australia was naturally experiencing less demand for Covid vaccines.
“We don’t need to vaccinate 200,000 people a day across the country the way we did at the peak in the middle of last year because we were so far behind,” he said.
“We were really far behind the rest of the developed world. It took us a while to catch up. Now you see a much smaller number of vaccinations given each day.
“The real challenge is getting people to line up to get it. There are more than five million people who have missed their third dose, so it has been more than six months since they received their second dose. They are still overdue for their third dose and I encourage them to go out and get it.’
The overdose comes a year after the federal government stockpiled vaccines to ensure there would be plenty left if some failed at the height of the pandemic.
Covid doses gluts in Australia
Australia used about 25 percent of AstraZeneca’s 53.8 million Covid doses, with about 13,807,000 notches. Pfizer was more popular with about 41,699,000 doses given out of 126 million bought – 33 percent of the brand’s supply. Australia bought 25 million Moderna vaccines, with only 18% being used – 4,612,000 vaccines. The federal government also ordered 51 million Novavax vaccines, but only about 162,000 — less than one percent of those available — were put into service. Source: Australian Immunization Register
