There are calls for Australia to send AstraZeneca vaccines over to Indonesia, as the country to ensure the highly-effective vaccine brand does not go to waste
Australia has millions of AstraZeneca vaccines on hand, with millions stockpiled in storage awaiting to be used. But with the rare side effect of blood clotting linked to the jab, many Australians are opting to receive the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine instead.
Australian politician Josh Burns has called for 6 million doses of the vaccine to be shipped off and used within Indonesia, as the transcontinental country in Southeast Asia continues the rollout of the vaccine.
Mr Burns wrote to the Lowy Institute on Tuesday urging Australia’s Federal Government to not to leave the nation’s hefty stockpile of spare AstraZeneca jabs to sit in storage until they reach their expiry date, instead put them to use.
“Despite having a shortage of supply during the crucial winter months that led to extended lockdowns for major cities, Australia now has the reverse dilemma – a growing stockpile of over six million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines sitting in fridges and an ongoing production of one million doses a week,”
Mr Burns said.
Indonesia has already administered over 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine
Due to Indonesia being a nation made up of thousands of scattered islands, the rollout of the vaccine has been a challenge, with the country struggling to inoculate its population.
So far, Australia plans to deliver 500,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Indonesia, as part of the nation’s partnership with its close neighbour.
“These vaccine doses are the first instalment of Australia’s commitment to share 2.5 million AstraZeneca doses with Indonesia in 2021. They are an important component of Australia’s health response package for Indonesia, announced in July, adding to the 1000 ventilators, 700 oxygen concentrators and 20,000 rapid antigen tests already delivered.”
The Federal Government says
At present, only 20 per cent of the Indonesian population has been fully vaccinated, with around 35 per cent having received at least one dose.
