Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Oct 30, 2024 3:12:17 GMT
We need urgent, equitable access to a full portfolio of updated covid vaccines inc Novavax
www.change.org/p/we-need-urgent-equitable-access-to-a-full-portfolio-of-updated-covid-vaccines-inc-novavax
Call for urgent, free and equitable access to a full portfolio of updated Covid-19 vaccines, including the protein based vaccine, Novavax.
To Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Health Minister Mark Butler, and the Australian Federal Government:
We need you to keep your promise and provide all Australians with Covid-19 vaccine options that are:
timely, made available as soon as possible before the next wave hits;
up to date, the latest JN.1 vaccines enjoyed by the rest of the world;
a full and inclusive portfolio including the protein based vaccine Novavax for those who cannot medically tolerate mRNA vaccines;
free and freely available to ensure equity of access, including children; and
regularly updated, with six monthly boosters for all.
Background
Many countries currently have access to at least three updated Covid-19 vaccines, both Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines PLUS an updated protein based option in Novavax JN.1. Australians, on the other hand, only have access to a single, outdated Pfizer XBB version which offers much less effective protection against the new variants we will be facing in the approaching spring/summer/Christmas wave.
Moderna has been out of stock for months, and the Health Department has indicated that it does not plan to procure the new version currently under review by the TGA. Further, after lengthy TGA delays (since late 2023), the protein based Novavax XBB vaccine was never approved or made available. The lack of Novavax in particular is a serious problem because there is a significant cohort of Australians for whom mRNA vaccines are contraindicated and whose only medically tolerated Covid-19 vaccine option is the protein-based one. Many of these Australians are at high risk of poor outcomes from Covid-19 infections, particularly if their vaccine protection has waned.
The Federal Government is currently failing Australians in the adequate and timely procurement of Covid-19 vaccines. If not already, this is likely to become a lethal failure and jeopardise the health of many Australians. Even though the Government has promised “to ensure Australians have ongoing access to a diverse portfolio of treatments and vaccines,” it is impossible to make a case that a single, outdated vaccine (Pfizer XBB) can constitute a “diverse portfolio of vaccines” or offer “Australians flexibility of choice.” Australians do not have anywhere near optimal access to Covid-19 vaccines at the moment.
This is unacceptable. We need equitable access to vaccine protection for all Australians. Over the last three years, Australia has had a huge Christmas wave with millions of infections. Waiting for 2025 is much too far away. Covid-19 is not seasonal and it makes no sense to wait until 2025 when effective boosters are available right now and many Australians are (unwillingly) unprotected.
It is important to note that in response to the 2022 Review of Covid-19 Vaccine and Treatment Purchasing and Procurement, the Government stated that procurement would continue “with a view to ensure Australians maintain optimal access to vaccines and treatments over time.”
Additionally, the Government accepted Recommendation 8 of the Review: “Steps should be taken, consistent with an agreed policy approach to risk appetite, to ensure adequate supplies of vaccines and treatments are available across 2023 and 2024 including in the event of spikes in demand. This should include additional Moderna vaccines in 2023 and, as a minimum and based on an assessment of ‘Covid-19 stability’, doses necessary to meet baseline demand in 2024.” The Government went on to state reassuringly that its “diverse portfolio of vaccines and treatments provides Australians flexibility of choice and enables the Government to address variants of concern in the future.”
This petition seeks to hold the Federal Government to its promises. Australia is currently out of step with the rest of the world regarding the procurement and distribution of covd-19 vaccines, especially Novavax, and the impact will be felt by its citizens over coming months, especially those at high risk of poor outcomes from unnecessarily unvaccinated infections.
In 2024 Australia faces ongoing, lengthy waves of Covid-19 infection, driven by continual new variants that are straining our health and education systems, as well as our economy. It is as important as ever that vaccination procurement is a high priority; the Government letting its commitment slide at this time is a myopic mistake.
We also note that there are many Australian parents who would dearly love to protect their young children with vaccination, just as children around the world have had access to for years now. Instead, the Australian Government is moving in the opposite direction and not allowing access to any children under 18 unless they have severe underlying conditions. This is a terrible mistake.
The pandemic is ongoing, yet we do not have high levels of vaccination now and we don’t see high profile education campaigns anymore. Our access to vaccines is inadequate and lethally slow, meaning we have nowhere near “maximum possible protection” during times of high transmission. We have an opaque process with very little information communicated from the Health Minister, Health Department or TGA about the status/rationale of vaccine approval and delivery. Our current situation is not providing optimal outcomes for Australian patients. Due to the unavailability of updated vaccine boosters, many Australians have been infected while unprotected recently, thus experiencing more severe outcomes than if they had been able to be boosted like the rest of the world.
We call on the Federal Government to work with the TGA and vaccine suppliers to expedite distribution of the full suite of Covid-19 vaccines that the Government promised us.
Petition created on behalf of Cleaner Air Collective, a group of concerned members of the Australian community. Contact and join at cleaner.air.aus@gmail.com
www.change.org/p/we-need-urgent-equitable-access-to-a-full-portfolio-of-updated-covid-vaccines-inc-novavax
Call for urgent, free and equitable access to a full portfolio of updated Covid-19 vaccines, including the protein based vaccine, Novavax.
To Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Health Minister Mark Butler, and the Australian Federal Government:
We need you to keep your promise and provide all Australians with Covid-19 vaccine options that are:
timely, made available as soon as possible before the next wave hits;
up to date, the latest JN.1 vaccines enjoyed by the rest of the world;
a full and inclusive portfolio including the protein based vaccine Novavax for those who cannot medically tolerate mRNA vaccines;
free and freely available to ensure equity of access, including children; and
regularly updated, with six monthly boosters for all.
Background
Many countries currently have access to at least three updated Covid-19 vaccines, both Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines PLUS an updated protein based option in Novavax JN.1. Australians, on the other hand, only have access to a single, outdated Pfizer XBB version which offers much less effective protection against the new variants we will be facing in the approaching spring/summer/Christmas wave.
Moderna has been out of stock for months, and the Health Department has indicated that it does not plan to procure the new version currently under review by the TGA. Further, after lengthy TGA delays (since late 2023), the protein based Novavax XBB vaccine was never approved or made available. The lack of Novavax in particular is a serious problem because there is a significant cohort of Australians for whom mRNA vaccines are contraindicated and whose only medically tolerated Covid-19 vaccine option is the protein-based one. Many of these Australians are at high risk of poor outcomes from Covid-19 infections, particularly if their vaccine protection has waned.
The Federal Government is currently failing Australians in the adequate and timely procurement of Covid-19 vaccines. If not already, this is likely to become a lethal failure and jeopardise the health of many Australians. Even though the Government has promised “to ensure Australians have ongoing access to a diverse portfolio of treatments and vaccines,” it is impossible to make a case that a single, outdated vaccine (Pfizer XBB) can constitute a “diverse portfolio of vaccines” or offer “Australians flexibility of choice.” Australians do not have anywhere near optimal access to Covid-19 vaccines at the moment.
This is unacceptable. We need equitable access to vaccine protection for all Australians. Over the last three years, Australia has had a huge Christmas wave with millions of infections. Waiting for 2025 is much too far away. Covid-19 is not seasonal and it makes no sense to wait until 2025 when effective boosters are available right now and many Australians are (unwillingly) unprotected.
It is important to note that in response to the 2022 Review of Covid-19 Vaccine and Treatment Purchasing and Procurement, the Government stated that procurement would continue “with a view to ensure Australians maintain optimal access to vaccines and treatments over time.”
Additionally, the Government accepted Recommendation 8 of the Review: “Steps should be taken, consistent with an agreed policy approach to risk appetite, to ensure adequate supplies of vaccines and treatments are available across 2023 and 2024 including in the event of spikes in demand. This should include additional Moderna vaccines in 2023 and, as a minimum and based on an assessment of ‘Covid-19 stability’, doses necessary to meet baseline demand in 2024.” The Government went on to state reassuringly that its “diverse portfolio of vaccines and treatments provides Australians flexibility of choice and enables the Government to address variants of concern in the future.”
This petition seeks to hold the Federal Government to its promises. Australia is currently out of step with the rest of the world regarding the procurement and distribution of covd-19 vaccines, especially Novavax, and the impact will be felt by its citizens over coming months, especially those at high risk of poor outcomes from unnecessarily unvaccinated infections.
In 2024 Australia faces ongoing, lengthy waves of Covid-19 infection, driven by continual new variants that are straining our health and education systems, as well as our economy. It is as important as ever that vaccination procurement is a high priority; the Government letting its commitment slide at this time is a myopic mistake.
We also note that there are many Australian parents who would dearly love to protect their young children with vaccination, just as children around the world have had access to for years now. Instead, the Australian Government is moving in the opposite direction and not allowing access to any children under 18 unless they have severe underlying conditions. This is a terrible mistake.
The pandemic is ongoing, yet we do not have high levels of vaccination now and we don’t see high profile education campaigns anymore. Our access to vaccines is inadequate and lethally slow, meaning we have nowhere near “maximum possible protection” during times of high transmission. We have an opaque process with very little information communicated from the Health Minister, Health Department or TGA about the status/rationale of vaccine approval and delivery. Our current situation is not providing optimal outcomes for Australian patients. Due to the unavailability of updated vaccine boosters, many Australians have been infected while unprotected recently, thus experiencing more severe outcomes than if they had been able to be boosted like the rest of the world.
We call on the Federal Government to work with the TGA and vaccine suppliers to expedite distribution of the full suite of Covid-19 vaccines that the Government promised us.
Petition created on behalf of Cleaner Air Collective, a group of concerned members of the Australian community. Contact and join at cleaner.air.aus@gmail.com