Prisoners to be among the first to receive COVID vaccine in Australia
Prisoners and people with chronic obesity will be among the first people to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when the program is rolled out in Australia early next year.
They will join health workers and the elderly as demographics evaluated to be more immuno-compromised than most.
Pregnant women will also be moved towards the top of the list.
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Dr Mica Spasojevic , Network Doctor at the Long Bay Jail Hospital takes a Covid19 swab from an inmate currently in the clinic while in full PPE. Photo Nick Moir 6 May 2020 Supplied
Earlier today Prime Minister Scott Morrison suggested that vaccinations could begin earlier than expected.
The prime minister told 2GB's Ray Hadley he anticipates vaccinations could start "a bit earlier" than the scheduled March start date.
However, March remains the officially scheduled start time for the time being.
Margaret Keenan, 90, is applauded back onto her ward by nurses, after receiving the first Pfizer covid-19 vaccine at University Hospital Coventry in the UK. PA
The comments come after health minister Greg Hunt said last week that Australia was "ahead of schedule" on its five-stage vaccination plan, with the first vaccine expected to be approved for use by the end of January.
Health care and aged care workers and the elderly are expected to be the first to get the jab with the full roll-out expected to take around 12 months.
The UK began its mass roll-out of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine earlier this week, which has also now been approved in Canada.
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A phial of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine ready for administration at Guy's Hospital at the start of the largest ever immunisation programme in the UK's history Getty
However, overnight British regulators issued a warning that those with a history of serious allergic reactions should hold off on getting the shot after two NHS workers had allergic reactions following their vaccinations.
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