The Australian government bet on a single brand of vaccine: AstraZeneca. We also had some Pfizer stock but not enough for the entire country.
This would have been fine until reports of clotting disorders started coming in. The official advice was revised so over 50s and then over 60s should get AZ. Technically you could still get the AZ if you wanted to, but due to the advice, no one did.
Meanwhile, only 40s and over and at risk demographics below 60 could get Pfizer. And by now they did such a good job trashing AZ, no one wanted it. Then Delta hit and no one wants AZ. So here we are.
Reports are Pfizer offered our government a deal last year, and they could have locked in enough doses for the entire population. But they declined.
This would have been fine until reports of clotting disorders started coming in. The official advice was revised so over 50s and then over 60s should get AZ. Technically you could still get the AZ if you wanted to, but due to the advice, no one did.
Meanwhile, only 40s and over and at risk demographics below 60 could get Pfizer. And by now they did such a good job trashing AZ, no one wanted it. Then Delta hit and no one wants AZ. So here we are.
Reports are Pfizer offered our government a deal last year, and they could have locked in enough doses for the entire population. But they declined.