There are only two ways we are moving forward: those who want to get vaccinated get vaccinated and/or those who do not vote accordingly. Transparent targets should be set (have an Ethereum smart contract with preset limits ‘if vaccination rate = x%, then borders = open’). Vaccination should be VOLUNTARY and the friction involved should be minimal. When is the dead hand of bureaucracy going to get off the tiller?
PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now with new vaccines here to END the pandemic. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.
Better, for you.
Want more?
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.
‘No man is an island’, wrote John Donne in 1624. It’s as true today as it was then; perhaps more so in our connected world and economy. Australia is a wealthy island and arguably the best place in the world at any time, and especially during a pandemic. COVID-19 has been to health what the GFC was to the economy in 2008-9. How do we move forward? Jeremy Irons’ character in Margin Call gives three ways: ‘Be first, be smartest, or cheat. I don’t cheat and it’s a hell of a lot easier to be first than smartest’.
Not Jeremy Irons
Australia has benefitted from being a wealthy island and we have been spared from the mortality and morbidity of COVID-19. We can see India struggling with this now (click here to help them out!). How can we move forward? Dr Nick Coatsworth, moving on from his widely quoted ‘make your bed‘, says vaccination. Like me, he thinks zeroism is a false god. Like me, he thinks voluntary vaccination is the way to go. What will that take?
Many of you may have concerns about the vaccines; here is some reading and I will get some more information up in the next couple of days. Let’s get open and move forwards!
PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now with new vaccines here to END the pandemic. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.
Better, for you.
Want more?
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.
On 8 April 2021 the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommended that Pfizer vaccine is preferred over the AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged under 50 years.
In line with this, state vaccination clinics will prioritise:
· The Pfizer vaccine for people under 50 years of age, with consideration of priority groups eligible during each phase (see below).
The AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged 50 years and over.
People eligible for COVID-19 vaccination under the South Australian rollout can now make an appointment via the online booking system.
Some people with specific health and vaccination requirements require a GP referral and must use a different vaccination pathway to make their appointment.
People aged 50 years and over
People aged 50 years and over with a history of cerebral venous thrombosis, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis with thrombocytopaenia syndrome should be referred to the RAH Specialist Vaccine Clinic as per the below process.
In line with the Australian Government COVID-19 vaccine rollout, at this time there are no other criteria for a person aged 50 years or over to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
Referrals to the RAH Specialist Vaccine Clinic
People who have the below contraindications should be referred to receive their COVID-19 vaccine at a Specialist Vaccine Clinic. This applies to people both under and over the age of 50. A template referral is attached to this email.
· Have a history of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), thrombosis with thrombocytopaenia syndrome (TTS) and other situations where it is medically indicated.
· Have had an immediate severe hypersensitivity reaction (occurring within 1 hour) after first dose of COVID vaccine.
· Have a past history of anaphylaxis to polyethylene glycol (PEG, Macrogol) (all weights).
· Have a past history of anaphylaxis to any component of the COVID-19 vaccine or other vaccine.
· Have a history of severe immediate type 1 allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to multiple drugs, or multiple unexplained episodes of anaphylaxis.
Have a history severe unexplained illness after receiving COVID vaccination requiring hospitalisation for greater than 24 hours.
People with these indications should be referred to:
Specialist COVID Vaccination Clinic Level 3C
Royal Adelaide Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Service
Direct line : 08 7074 0787 Direct fax : 08 7074 6135
As per clinical guidance from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), the Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are not considered interchangeable.
The two-dose course should be completed with the same vaccine. There is no data yet on the efficacy of mixed schedules.
If a person had an anaphylaxis or severe allergic reaction after their first dose of vaccine, they should be referred to the RAH Specialist Vaccine Clinic as per the above process.
Recently an Expression of Interest (EOI) was sought from the GP network, for SA Health’s additional supply of AstraZeneca to support the vaccination of individuals 50 years and older.
We received a large number of responses and we will now work directly with the selected GPs to arrange delivery of up to 1000 extra doses of AstraZeneca.
The selection process was based on the analysis of average AstraZeneca vaccination rates by postcode across the State with those areas which were below the average being prioritised for allocation.
SA Health remains open to ongoing transfer of excess AstraZeneca to the GP network if the opportunity presents and we will refer back to the original EOI’s to support this.
ATAGI update on AstraZeneca
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation met this week to review the latest developments relating to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). You can read the latest statement on the website.
It seems like 2021 is going to be another year that just keeps giving: this months issue, sadly not an April Fools, is the apparent small increase in rare blood clotting problems with one of the COVID vaccine formulations. The problems appear to be low platelets and/or cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.
Experts (if Norman Swan can be called an expert in anything other than denigrating GPs, rabble rousing, and accepting fat paycheques) are divided on the issue:
Sometimes medical advice from your GP can come across this way. Sometimes we get the opportunity to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. It’s been a super challenging week for our front desk team at PartridgeGP as they have had to field a huge number of calls from people about the vaccine and phase 1b rollout. The government has hugely mismanaged this, mainly through micromanagement and a lack of appreciation for the fact that GPs have been doing the majority of vaccinations in this country for the last 20+ years. We are efficient and excellent.
government – big spend writ small
Still, I don’t dwell on the failings of control freakery from public servants. We could be here all day. Instead I spent 20 minutes having my first dose of COVID-19 vaccine under phase 1b of Australia’s vaccination program!
Many of you may have some concerns about rare blood clotting issues and pauses in vaccination programs elsewhere. The RACGP addresses these concerns here and below (spoiler: not very much to worry about in almost all cases):
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on safety of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, ATAGI has issued further advice related to the suitability of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine for people with a history of clotting conditions.
The updated advice stems from reviews conducted by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), European Medicines Agency (EMA) and World Health Organization, which pored over data from millions of recipients following reports of blood clots in some European countries.
As of 16 March, the EMA had reported 18 cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) from millions of vaccine recipients, leading several European countries to pause their rollout of Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccines.
However, the subsequent reviews have concluded that the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh the potential risks.
‘There is no increase in the rates of general thromboembolic disorders after vaccination over expected rates, noting these conditions occur commonly in the absence of vaccination,’ ATAGI states.
REMEMBER, WE ONLY HAVE 80-100 VACCINES A WEEK AND BEING RUDE TO OUR AWESOME FRONT DESK STAFF WON’T CHANGE THIS.
PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now with new vaccines here to END the pandemic. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.
Better, for you.
Want more?
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.
Yesterday, we talked about when, nearly 50 years ago, two icons of the modern age combined – The Rolling Stones and Andy Warhol. The cutting edges of popular music and contemporary art. Warhol once said, ‘in the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes’. I thought I’d make the post famous for more than 15 minutes and use another iconic album cover.
We await some further paperwork and advice from the Federal Government via Adelaide PHN in regard to exactly what their requirements of us are. Hopefully, their brief will have more in common with Mick’s missive above than the 16 different new item numbers they have generated for the act of marrying vaccines and patients in the community. Otherwise, it could all end like Warhol and the Stones – when Mick Jagger took it upon himself to handwrite the track names over Warhol’s art. Warhol never forgave him and their partnership ended there.
There are currently no laws or public health orders in Australia that specifically enable employers to require their employees to be vaccinated against coronavirus. The Australian Government’s policy is that receiving a vaccination is voluntary, although it aims to have as many Australians vaccinated as possible.
PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now, in the time of a global pandemic with a new vaccine on the horizon. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.
Better, for you.
Want more?
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.
Nearly 50 years ago, two icons of the modern age combined – The Rolling Stones and Andy Warhol. The cutting edges of popular music and contemporary art. Warhol once said, ‘in the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes’. This 15 minutes of fame concept has almost outlived his art. Regardless of whether this is true or not, The Rolling Stones are still going and Warhol’s 15 minutes is 50 years plus and counting.
the famous album cover – ‘sticky fingers’
PartridgeGP is set up to give you your 15 minutes of fame with every appointment – we don’t feel your health can be meaningfully addressed in smaller segments. Sometimes, we can be very focussed with shorter appointments (our upcoming COVID and influenza vaccination clinics, for example), but 15 minute minimum appointments have served well so far. PartridgeGP has been chosen to be one of the practices that may deliver the COVID vaccinations to you in phase 1b of the rollout. We can circle back to Warhol and the Stones now. There is a famous letter, when Mick Jagger decided to engage Warhol – one creative genius knew exactly what to say to another:
We await some further paperwork and advice from the Federal Government via Adelaide PHN in regard to exactly what their requirements of us are. Hopefully, their brief will have more in common with Mick’s missive above than the 16 different new item numbers they have generated for the act of marrying vaccines and patients in the community. Otherwise, it could all end like Warhol and the Stones – when Mick Jagger took it upon himself to handwrite the track names over Warhol’s art. Warhol never forgave him and their partnership ended there.
PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now, in the time of a global pandemic with a new vaccine on the horizon. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.
Better, for you.
Want more?
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.
The Australian Government is expecting approval of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines by the end of this month, with a rollout to priority groups beginning mid-February. In addition to being able to administer the vaccine when available, healthcare professionals will also be able to receive the vaccine in the following rollout phases:
Phase 1a
Frontline at-risk health care workers including staff in GP respiratory clinics and COVID-19 testing facilities, ambulance staff, paramedics, ICU and emergency department staff and clinical and ancillary support staff Residential aged care and disability care staff Residential aged care and disability care residents Quarantine and border workers
COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out to RACFs
*The information provided in this section is relevant to residential aged care facilities (RACFs). Information relating to general practice and other health providers will be distributed as it becomes available. The Australian Government has commenced the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out across Australia, with RACF residents being among the first who can choose to receive the vaccine. Phase 1a of the vaccine roll-out is due to commence next week in some RACFs, with only the residents of the facilities able to receive the vaccine in the first instance. The Department of Health has released a COVID-19 vaccine aged care readiness toolkit to assist RACFs in planning for the vaccine roll-out and preparing facilities for vaccination. The toolkit includes a Site Readiness Checklist and Written Consent Form.
Information is available for aged care workers and residents, their families and representatives to help make an informed decision about COVID-19 vaccination.
As with all other vaccines, valid consent is required before administering each COVID-19 vaccine dose.
Workers and residents may choose to talk to a health professional about the benefits and risks of vaccination. This will help to decide if vaccination is suitable.
The following resources will assist in deciding about COVID-19 vaccination:
Consent by a guardian or substitute decision-maker
Some jurisdictions have specific requirements relevant to guardians (or substitute decision-makers) consenting on behalf of another person.
If consenting to participate in the COVID-19 vaccination program on behalf of an aged care resident, refer to the enduring guardianship legislation in your state or territory for more information.
Phase 1b
Adults over 70 years All other health care workers Begin to vaccinate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Younger adults with an underlying medical condition, including those with a disability Critical and high risk workers including defence, police, fire, emergency services and meat processing.
Vaccine eligibility checker
The vaccine eligibility checker, hosted by healthdirect, is now live. Users are asked a number of questions relating to age, location, occupation and underlying medical conditions to determine whether they’re currently eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. If you’re eligible to receive the vaccine under phase 1a, vaccinations will be organised by your employer, or facility where you consult, who will contact you to provide further information on how to receive your vaccination.
Some information for those whose first language isn’t English:
The Department of Health have developed a stakeholder pack for multicultural audiences with information on the COVID-19 vaccines.
The pack contains in-language communication resources and key messages to inform and educate everyone in Australia about the COVID-19 vaccines. Resources in the pack include audio files, videos, social media content, posters and factsheets.
You can also find a letter from Dr Lucas De Toca, Assistant Secretary of the COVID-19 Primary Care Response at the Australian Government Department of Health, about how you can help support in sharing the latest information.
Provisional approval of the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is currently anticipated in February 2021, subject to regulatory requirements being met. Both vaccines will progressively be distributed through an expanded number of sites, including general practice clinics, existing Commonwealth GP respiratory clinics, state-run vaccination clinics and pharmacies.
Over-65s and the AstraZeneca vaccine
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has provisionally approved the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for use in Australia for people 18 years of age and over.The TGA statement notes, ‘There are currently limited data available for the efficacy and safety in individuals over 65 years of age. However, the vaccine has been shown to create an immune response in this group and can be used based on the efficacy and safety demonstrated in the general clinical trial population. The decision to immunise an elderly patient should be decided on a case-by-case basis’.
In his General Practice COVID-19 update newsletter, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd states, ‘There is no requirement for people over the age of 65 to discuss with their GP whether they should or should not have the AstraZeneca vaccine, unless they are very frail and/or rapidly approaching the end of life. Patients who are very frail, or their carers, are advised to discuss any vaccination with their GP’.
All vaccines used in Australia must be approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The TGA assesses the safety, quality and effectiveness of vaccines before they are registered for use.
COVID-19 vaccines will be free for everyone living in Australia and the Government has made it clear that COVID-19 vaccination will be voluntary – but it is strongly encouraged. More information about training for health professionals will be available in the coming weeks that will cover vaccine specific information, multi-dose vials, infection control, wastage, and adverse event reporting.
The Department of Health developed a new vaccine website so you can stay informed. This website is regularly being updated with more information as it becomes available. Information will also be available in 63 languages. Subscribe to the COVID-19 vaccines updates to ensure you receive the latest updates available on the website. Thanks to the AMA for all of this – become a member!
In summary, version 1.0
PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now, in the time of a global pandemic with a new vaccine on the horizon. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.
Better, for you.
Want more?
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.
PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now, in the time of a global pandemic with a new vaccine on the horizon. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.
Better, for you.
Want more?
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.
Is there a plan? Yes, there is. More accurately, a roadmap!
Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Roadmap
The Australian Government is expecting approval of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines by the end of this month, with a rollout to priority groups beginning mid-February. In addition to being able to administer the vaccine when available, healthcare professionals will also be able to receive the vaccine in the following rollout phases:
Phase 1a
Frontline at-risk health care workers including staff in GP respiratory clinics and COVID-19 testing facilities, ambulance staff, paramedics, ICU and emergency department staff and clinical and ancillary support staff Residential aged care and disability care staff Residential aged care and disability care residents Quarantine and border workers
Phase 1b
Adults over 70 years All other health care workers Begin to vaccinate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Younger adults with an underlying medical condition, including those with a disability Critical and high risk workers including defence, police, fire, emergency services and meat processing.
Provisional approval of the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is currently anticipated in February 2021, subject to regulatory requirements being met. Both vaccines will progressively be distributed through an expanded number of sites, including general practice clinics, existing Commonwealth GP respiratory clinics, state-run vaccination clinics and pharmacies.
COVID-19 vaccines will be free for everyone living in Australia and the Government has made it clear that COVID-19 vaccination will be voluntary – but it is strongly encouraged. More information about training for health professionals will be available in the coming weeks that will cover vaccine specific information, multi-dose vials, infection control, wastage, and adverse event reporting.
The Department of Health developed a new vaccine website so you can stay informed. This website is regularly being updated with more information as it becomes available. Information will also be available in 63 languages. Subscribe to the COVID-19 vaccines updates to ensure you receive the latest updates available on the website. Thanks to the AMA for all of this – become a member!
In summary, version 1.0
PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now, in the time of a global pandemic with a new vaccine on the horizon. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.
Better, for you.
Want more?
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.
Many of you will be concerned about COVID19 vaccines – especially the mRNA vaccines (because they are new!). Let’s reclaim copium and hopium and give some more reassuring information.
While the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine had already been approved for use on 25 January, reports of around 30 deaths among more than 40,000 older Norwegian people who received the vaccine prompted the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to further investigate its suitability for that cohort. But the regulator has determined that older patients can receive the mRNA vaccine, with no cap on the upper age limit.
‘The TGA therefore has concluded that there is no specific risk of vaccination with the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in elderly patients.’ Broader discussions with regulators in North America, the UK and Europe reportedly reached a similar conclusion, while the EMA’s COVID-19 vaccine safety update contains further information that helped the TGA form its decision.
In the second phase of vaccine rollout, with the Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine (a more traditional vaccine), Australian General Practice and PartridgeGP will do our bit to get those who want to be vaccinated protected ASAP, at scale, as safely as we can. Our plans are well advanced. It is super important to us to play our part – and important that people are informed, and not coerced. We can see that countries and areas overseas – the UK, Europe, the US – are being more affected by COVID, and they are having to take more risks than us. We will learn from them. We will have their data and experiences to look upon before we take the plunge ourselves.
Remember, I’ve also written about risk, here, and here. Bayesian thinking is probabilistic thinking – rather than this will or won’t happen, we consider what is more or less likely to happen. This applies to risk. As Jim O’Shaughnessy has said, ‘we are deterministic creatures living in a probabilistic world’. We want certainty. We get probabilities. Vaccines are not 100% effective or 100% safe (NOTHING IS). Neither are masks, nor social distancing, nor even simple hand sanitiser. Yet all of these, little by little, piece by piece, will lower our risk so we can get back to the new normal of life. Better probabilities, not 100% certainty.
Let’s act.
PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now, in the time of a global pandemic with a new vaccine on the horizon. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.
Better, for you.
Want more?
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com
If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.
Many of you will be concerned about COVID19 mutant strains and many of you will be concerned about the vaccines available. Let’s reclaim copium and hopium and give some more reassuring information.
Don’t panic: New COVID strains are not ‘escape mutants’ and vaccines should still work. The variants have shut down nations and led to surges of new cases and deaths – but experts say current vaccines should still protect against the mutations. New COVID variants are increasing, but experts say there is no need to panic yet.Both the Brazilian and South African variants have a change that can reduce antibody binding, potentially reducing the efficacy of vaccines, as well as making a reinfection more likely. This polymorphism – e484k – is not present in the UK variant. The Brazilian variant has triggered a disastrous new tide of infection in the city of Manaus in the Amazon, where fully 75% of the population contracted the virus last year. This, experts fear, could point to a partial ‘immune escape’ – or suggest people who got milder cases in the first wave are faring worse with this new variant.
If they prove necessary, seasonal COVID vaccines could be available much faster than this first generation of vaccines.
In the second phase of vaccine rollout, with the Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine (a more traditional vaccine), Australian General Practice and PartridgeGP will do our bit to get those who want to be vaccinated protected ASAP, at scale, as safely as we can. Our plans are well advanced. It is super important to us to play our part – and important that people are informed, and not coerced. We can see that countries and areas overseas – the UK, Europe, the US – are being more affected by COVID, and they are having to take more risks than us. We will learn from them. We will have their data and experiences to look upon before we take the plunge ourselves.
But are they safe, I hear you ask? Well, I’ve also written about risk, here, and here, but today, as an introduction, I have a very very smart person describe a story where Australia’s contribution to world vaccination DID NOT work. It wasn’t up to scratch, and so they canned it. That should give us no little confidence in what has been approved. Enough of me – handing over to the super smart Ms Maddie Massy-Westropp.
A deal for the Australian government to purchase more than 50 million doses of a promising new COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the University of Queensland (UQ) and global biotechnology company CSL limited, has been abruptly terminated. In a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange on December 11, UQ and CSL announced that the vaccine would not progress to Phase 2/3 clinical trials.
The UQ-CSL vaccine contains the Spike protein, a molecule located on the coronavirus surface. The Spike protein enables the virus to enter human and other animal host cells, where it replicates itself. When the vaccine is administered to a person, the immune system recognises the Spike protein and generates neutralising antibodies which can bind to it. If that person is exposed to COVID-19 in the future, those same antibodies can attack the Spike protein on the coronavirus surface, preventing the virus from entering host cells and replicating. The Spike protein was kept in a stable form in the vaccine using the novel, patented molecular clamp technology which UQ has been developing for the past 10 years.
However, the trial participants also had an immune response against the gp41 component of the vaccine. This has no health consequences at all, but widespread rollout of the vaccine could complicate the HIV screening process. Due to the production of gp41 antibodies, many people who have received the vaccine could falsely test positive on the standard HIV test. Community confidence in vaccine development is critical, with a new survey by The Australian National University showing that 41% of Australian adults would be hesitant about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
A tough decision was made
On December 11, UQ and CSL together announced that clinical trials for their COVID-19 vaccine have been abandoned. Read the whole article here. The famous advert below rings true, and that why I have confidence in Australia’a COVID vaccination program.
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