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AMA says to plan for the distribution COVID-19 vaccination now

AMA President, Dr Omar Khorshid, said that a COVID-19 vaccination is likely to be the only way Australia will successfully be able to emerge from the Coronavirus pandemic. 

“It is pleasing to see that the efforts of the medical and scientific community to fast track a safe and effective vaccine are going well and that the Government has a plan to make a vaccine available to all Australians. 

“The greatest challenge is likely to be accessing enough doses of an approved vaccine and we expect that it will take some time to provide enough vaccine for the whole population. 

Dr Khorshid emphasised that Australia needs to plan now for how an endorsed COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed, and called for at risk groups to receive vaccination first, particularly the aged and those with other health conditions leaving them at increased risk. 

“After vulnerable groups have been provided with the vaccine, it should then be rolled out to other groups. All front-line health care workers should be allowed early access to an approved vaccine,” Dr Khorshid said. 

Dr Khorshid cited historic distribution issues for the influenza vaccination each year that should be considered when planning for distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine.  

“To ensure Australia is ready and able to get a vaccination out, be it the Oxford vaccination or any other vaccine approved for use by Australian authorities, we need a national COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan,” Dr Khorshid said.  

“The AMA is willing to work with governments to plan a vaccine distribution plan so that all Australians will be able to have fair access to a vaccination when approved by the authorities.” 

Read the full media release here 

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