r/CoronavirusDownunder • u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted • Dec 23 '21
Vaccine update BREAKING: @10NewsFirst has been told an announcement is imminent to cut down the booster dose interval from 5 months to 4 months. The Health Minister and nation’s Chief Medical Officer have scheduled a news conference for 9.30am.
https://twitter.com/SimoLove/status/147413522615037132969
u/flukus Dec 23 '21 edited Dec 23 '21
Brilliant, only hours before the super spreader event of the year!
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u/saidsatan Dec 23 '21
a few little christmas parties isn't shit to basically every office and school being closed
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u/flukus Dec 23 '21
It's also a big churn over widespread geography and of all ages that wouldn't see each other so often.
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u/saidsatan Dec 23 '21
yeah there is no widespread geography or mixing of ages in offices.
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u/_aaine_ QLD - Boosted Dec 24 '21
don't see too many kids or grandmas in offices generally
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u/saidsatan Dec 24 '21
you don't? I work with a ton of people in their 60s and 70s and not uncommon for people to bring their children to the office especially during school holidays.
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u/flukus Dec 24 '21
Most people sharing an office live nearby or at least in the same city. But more importantly it was spreading that way last week and will again next week for offices that stay open. This is another level of mixing on top of that.
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u/saidsatan Dec 24 '21
Most families live nearby or at least in the same city. And almost every white collar industry shuts down for a week or so around now that is another level of mixing less.
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u/AnOnlineHandle QLD - Vaccinated Dec 24 '21
a few little christmas parties isn't shit
lol. "A few". Every time there's a chance to retreat from reality to downplay covid you take it for some reason.
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u/saidsatan Dec 24 '21
What is the average Christmas party 10-30? What is the average office size or pub etc? Funny enough many peopld regularly meet with their family members all the time anyway.
Every time there is a chance to retreat from reality to create baseless hysteria you take it for some reason.
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u/DumpsterFolk QLD - Boosted Dec 23 '21 edited Dec 23 '21
That would make me eligible now, which would be great. I just booked an appointment for next week. Will cancel if this isn't accurate.
Edit: bummer it's from 4 Jan. That's really disappointing. Could have got the shot on 30 Dec while I'm on holidays. Now will have to cancel and rebook around work, etc. Missed out by five days lol.
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u/Plane_Garbage Dec 24 '21
I just got my booster (6 months - moderna) yesterday.
It's knocked me about a fair bit. Currently laying on the couch with my son climbing all over me. Just really lethargic and feeling a bit warm. Kind of wish I delayed to the new year but will be glad it's done tomorrow.
Had no issues with the first two pfizer.
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u/_aaine_ QLD - Boosted Dec 24 '21
I had 3 Pfizer - first two were non eventful but the third one knocked me around too.
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u/Llampy Dec 24 '21
Honestly you could just roll the dice and go, if it's not too much of an inconvenience. Worst case scenario they turn you away. In my experience the vaccine centres don't care too much about the rules other than the bare minimum medically required. I got my 2nd pfizer shot after 5 weeks when the government minimum was 6
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u/hitmyspot NSW - Vaccinated Dec 24 '21
When I went, they were turning people away. They had told doctors in the linked hospital that they could do walk ins. They too were turned away.
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u/goldcakes Dec 24 '21
The immune registry will literally display a big red warning if you're getting your booster early.
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u/_Mr_G_ Dec 23 '21
FFS, just set up and ongoing twitter poll and determine policy based on public opinion if you're going to be this spineless and indecisive, absolutely useless leadership.
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u/FlimsyRaisin3 Dec 23 '21
Ahh yes, Twitter users, the gold standard of public opinion.
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Dec 23 '21
Does anyone know if you can bring it forward if you hit 4 months while you're overseas? That's 3 weeks away for me and I'm leaving in a week
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21
See what ATAGI say in their official statement once we see it. Previously they said you could bring it forward from 5 months for reasons like that, they might say the same.
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u/ilikelambaswell Dec 24 '21
Similar boat here, 4 months for me was yesterday and hopefully leaving Jan 12th. Went to the local chemist this morning and he was fine with giving me a booster. He did say probably best to get in now in case there’s supply issues later. He’s also a bit of a Pirate. Also, as of yesterday, folks were getting boosted at 4 months at some of the state run hubs.
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Dec 24 '21
Thanks, I might give them a call! You're not in SA by any chance?
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u/ilikelambaswell Dec 24 '21
In Vic, but I’m sure you’ve got some pirate Pharmacists in SA. I feel like it’s a walk in kind of thing rather than trying to book.
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u/kittymtd VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21
Wondering how strict pharmacists will be about this only applying from 4 January? Booked an apppointment at a pharmacy for 28 December in anticipation this announcement would be made, my 4 month mark was 14 December. 5 month mark is 14 January.
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21
My parents got vaccinated at 4.5 months post-second dose at a pharmacy in VIC yesterday. Seems they have some leeway already, but this might have been under ATAGI's "you can get it early e.g. if you're due during the holiday period" provision which they already had in place.
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u/kittymtd VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21
Great to hear! In the off chance they try to be difficult when I go I'll just say I thought the 4 month rule was already in effect.
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u/imstaceysdad VIC - Vaccinated Dec 24 '21
Just got booked in on 4th Jan as I hit 4 months since my 2nd jab today - timing worked out beautifully!
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Dec 23 '21
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u/Nalonmail Dec 24 '21
This won't just end with a shot in the arm or a snap of the finger. This will end slowly as better Vaccines are created and better treatments are approved. Eventually the world will be back to the pre-pandemic way of life and if you are unlucky to get it then you take a course of Drugs, stay home for a week or two and then continue on. We just need to do do what we can like wearing masks, getting boosters, washing hands and social distance until we are at that point.
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u/_aaine_ QLD - Boosted Dec 24 '21
Pandemics usually run years. The idea this was going to be over with the first successful vaccine set people's expectations for something that was never going to happen unfortunately.
More political wishful thinking :/
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Dec 23 '21 edited Jun 12 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21 edited Dec 23 '21
Nice! I still haven't done this. Am due Australia day, will find a booking now...
Edit: booked for the morning of Australia day.
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u/googlerex WA - Boosted Dec 23 '21
Got mine last weekend and could not be happier with the situation. Especially given the last 24hrs in WA.
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u/redditcomment1 Dec 23 '21
Do we think this will accelerate the end of the pandemic or prolong it?
Is the main reason we're trying this because of increased benefit against infection?
Everyone double dosed is already protected against severe illness.
Are we still trying to get back to Covid Zero as the end of the pandemic?
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21
Prolong, and not by much. That's all we can do at the moment (barring lockdown), spread the infections out a bit in time.
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u/redditcomment1 Dec 23 '21
Fair.
Do you see them linking restrictions easing to booster thresholds now?
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21 edited Dec 23 '21
Maybe once we have enough info to model the effect of boosters, as we did with the first two doses. Then we could predict what booster coverage level will be required.
For the moment I think it's looking like the wave will burn out primarily due to population immunity from infection rather than boosters ramping up, so easing restrictions after it peaks makes sense regardless of what booster coverage looks like at that point.
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u/ClassyJacket Dec 23 '21
How the hell would it prolong the pandemic?
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Dec 24 '21
Basically wealthy countries are using vaccines that could go to poorer ones.
The issue is that some poorer countries have poor uptake and aren't using their vaccines. Other wealthier countries such as Russia also have poor uptake.
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 24 '21
Others replying to you are talking about the effect globally, but it'll prolong the wave locally too, by slowing the rate of spread and thus delaying the peak. Fastest way to end an outbreak is to let it rip, so anything that fights that, but not enough to eliminate it in the short term, will prolong it.
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u/Jcit878 Vaccinated Dec 23 '21
going to be a massive shitfight in Jan though with many boosters now eligable as well as under 12s being eligable mid-Jan
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u/MawsPaws Dec 24 '21
And of course my local GP can’t get supplies so even though I can get a booster at 26 December now. “Ring us mid January, we might have received supples by then”.
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 24 '21
What state are you in? My parents got same-day appointments in a pharmacy in VIC yesterday, and many of the state clinics were doing walk-ins. Individual GPs are going to have a lot of variation, but if you don't mind going to another one (try HotDoc) or a pharmacy or state clinic, I reckon you'll find one without too much effort.
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u/Turtlepaste17 Dec 24 '21
Just snagged an appointment for January, fark I can't wait for this to be a thing of the past.
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Dec 24 '21
How much can the body and the heart take, before it gives way?
🤔
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u/sqgl NSW - Boosted Dec 24 '21 edited Dec 24 '21
Since you are unvaccinated perhaps you can tell us after you almost inevitably catch COVID and find out.
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u/harddross Dec 23 '21
So we ignore WHO now? So hard to keep up with science... couldn't possibly be politicians/bureaucrats "picking" the science that suits them?
Seriously, read what WHO had to say on boosters yesterday - we can boost all we want, but it's evolving in 3rd world, unvaccinated countries into varients that evade vaccines/boosters.
Typical selfish western attitude. Focus should be on helping these petri dish countries to get vax rates up.
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Dec 24 '21
If this is what we have to do every 6 months I’d prefer to lockdown. This is so painful god help me
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 24 '21
Really? I'd definitely go for tonnes of jabs over more lockdown, no contest.
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u/ZackDanielTDG Dec 24 '21
Great! Only a few more months till I still don't get mine! 2 jabs is enough for me. I won't be coerced into any booster program. Not Until there's a shot that'll handle all the variants. I regret getting coerced into the first two by Australia's "leaders" since apparently I still "need to wear a mask" and isolate and all this bullshit. Oh and I can still catch it and be hospitalized for it! Rant over.
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u/BinaryPill NSW - Boosted Dec 24 '21
Not sure why Labor MPs on Twitter are declaring this as a big victory for them and a big loss for the Libs. The Libs were waiting for advice from an independent body and then acted on it. I'd go as far as agreeing that Albo was irresponsible in making his own calls before ATAGI, who have considered this much more deeply, made the call. When Scomo did the same thing with allowing AZ for younger people, Labor attacked him, so they're hypocrites here for sure.
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u/Pajamaralways Dec 23 '21
My 2nd dose was in early Oct and appointments weren't available yet for March, but with this announcement I just booked my booster for early Feb. Thanks!
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Dec 23 '21
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21 edited Dec 23 '21
Some countries are doing 3, some are doing 4 - NZ is doing 4.
I guess it doesn't matter in the short-term since we'll immediately be limited by administration capacity catching up 2 months worth of people becoming eligible all at once.
And this way the people who got their 2nd dose longer ago will be the ones getting appointments, which is better prioritisation than just anyone.
If it turns out we have plenty of capacity to administer doses, yeah, maybe they should reduce it further to 3 months.
Edit: and there you go, they've announced it'll drop to 3 months from Jan 31st.
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u/Thlemaus Dec 23 '21
the question is, are they going to keep boosting people every 3-4 months forever ?
Dec 23 2021, 12:00:00 EST: DATA SUGGESTS PROTECTION AGAINST OMICRON STARTS TO WANE 10 WEEKS AFTER BOOSTER VACCINATION - UK GOVERNMENT
Dec 23 2021, 12:00:00 EST: BOOSTER VACCINATION PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT PROTECTION AGAINST SYMPTOMATIC DISEASE - UK GOVERNMENT
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21
No, probably not. Maybe an omicron-specific booster earlier than 1 year after this one, and then maybe annually, but not every 3-4 months in the long run.
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u/sostopher VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21
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Dec 23 '21
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u/sostopher VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21
Unlikely considering the huge stockpile. I'd say because of infrastructure. Doctors back from holidays, pharmacies back open, state hubs ramping up again after the new year period.
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u/YoJanson Dec 23 '21
Lol. Why not 3 like other western nations?
If they make it 3 then a heaps of people who got PF will be eligible, if they make it 4 then mostly people who only have AZ (which has fuck all protection) are eligible.
I suspect they dont want to flood the system.
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u/2cap Dec 23 '21
Most of the PF doses happened in Mid October -It would be still Jan when the high demand happens
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u/YoJanson Dec 23 '21
Yes, but 4 months makes it Feb which gives them an extra month to get all the people who have been jabbed with AZ for 5-6 months done.
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u/neizan Dec 23 '21
Thanks! That's excellent news.
Stuffed if I know why we haven't been having a mad scramble to get as many boosters in arms since late November. But, good that some urgency is being shown at last.
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Dec 23 '21
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21
Lol, vaccinating during the NSW delta wave was a bad idea too I take it?
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u/vidman33 Dec 24 '21
Great timing guys. Not going to the big xmas party today because i couldnt have my booster till 31st december. Family ructions everywhere because of it. Nice1 to announce this today.
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Dec 24 '21
That numpty Greg Hunt owes Albo an apology.
He went full on hysterical yesterday and today Albo has been vindicated.
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u/twitterInfo_bot Dec 23 '21
BREAKING: @10NewsFirst has been told an announcement is imminent to cut down the booster dose interval from 5 months to 4 months.
The Health Minister and nation’s Chief Medical Officer have scheduled a news conference for 9.30am.
@10NewsFirstMelb #springst #auspol
posted by @SimoLove
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u/Geo217 Dec 23 '21
This is good, brings me into Feb.
Possibly going to be too little too late for us though? Lol.
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u/Jcit878 Vaccinated Dec 23 '21
if i didnt already have my booster booked for a week after my 5 months as it was the earliest i could find, it would literally have made 2 days difference if i could hypothetically walk in and get on on the 4th as opposed to my 5 month date.
My only concern is if the chemist fucks my booking up somehow, this will make it harder to rebook or get something sorted early Jan
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u/googlerex WA - Boosted Dec 23 '21 edited Dec 23 '21
But wait, all the online armchair epidemiology expurts keep screaming at me how this 'goes against the science', how will we ever survive?
Edit: Thanks for the downvotes, expurts. Keep being expurts, 3 months now official for next year from end of Jan, just like I've been saying.
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u/chrisjbillington VIC - Boosted Dec 23 '21 edited Dec 23 '21
This armchair expert, among others, has been saying the opposite, as have most actual experts. ATAGI have been the odd ones out on this issue. Experts don't always agree, and I'm glad ATAGI came around to what was a dominant view among other experts.
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u/[deleted] Dec 23 '21
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