COVID-19 vaccines will be free for everyone living in Australia. You will not need a prescription from a GP to get vaccinated.
Quick links:
How COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine rollout is underway in Australia
Sources:
Department of Health, ABC News
Read MoreWest Australians need to embrace wearing masks along with a raft of other "COVID-fit" precautions when the State’s border reopens next week, according to Australia Medical Association WA president Andrew Miller.
From commuters crammed on trains and buses to punters at large public events, Dr Miller said West Aussies should adopt masks in their daily lives like Asian nations such as South Korea, Taiwan and China.
WA opens quarantine-free travel to most States and territories from November 14 under a new "controlled interstate border" plans announced by Premier Mark McGowan on Friday.
Speaking to The West Live, Dr Miller said masks should especially be used when someone has a common cold or even hay fever.
"Our community needs to get ready — COVID-fit — for the occasional outbreak," he told podcast host Jenna Clarke.
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The standard price per respirator and contract price arrangements per respirator remain unchanged regardless of the packaging.
Stock delivered in June will have the standard box packaging. From July onwards, stock will be delivered in bulk packs.
An email from the distributor confirming willingness to receive the new codes instead of the old codes would suffice to update backorders.
Alternatively, the backorders with old codes can be cancelled, and new orders can be placed using the new codes.
For orders that would be supplied with 9320A+ or 9322A+ from July onwards, yes this can be done, provided the distributor confirms via email their willingness to receive the new codes
The intention behind bulk packing is to increase productivity and release orders faster. However, this comes at a cost of ordering by the case unfortunately.
According to the TGA they cannot be sold loose either by 3M Au or by 3M authorised distributors.
Yes
As per TGA, neither 3M Australia nor 3M distributors would be able to sell individual units unless it comes with user instructions, 3M sponsor details, the required intended use, the product cat code, lot number and expiry.
No changes until further notice
Based on some customers feedback, a limited quantity of the 9322A+ (standard packs XA010017854 are on plan to be delivered in July.
We continue to focus on Healthcare with support for critical industrial and key industries.
The majority of our stock on hand is being released to Healthcare/Frontline HC workers dealing with Covid-19 and Govt/Hospitals and the remaining to Critical Infrastructure and existing DR customers in Industrial markets
DR Quantities and ETAs cannot be committed to customers because demand from frontline customers is being prioritised.
Regards
Paul Price
3M Personal Safety Division
3M Australia
Friday, April 3, 2020 6:50 am CDT
Over the last several weeks and months, 3M and its employees have gone above and beyond to manufacture as many N95 respirators as possible for the U.S. market. Yesterday, the Administration formally invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to require 3M to prioritize orders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for our N95 respirators.
We have been working closely with the Administration to do exactly that, and we appreciate the authorities in the DPA that provide a framework for us to expand even further the work we are doing in response to the global pandemic crisis. We look forward to working with FEMA to implement yesterday’s order.
In the course of our collaboration with the Administration this past weekend, the Administration requested that 3M increase the amount of respirators we currently import from our overseas operations into the U.S. We appreciate the assistance of the Administration to do exactly that. For example, earlier this week, we secured approval from China to export to the U.S. 10 million N95 respirators manufactured by 3M in China.
The Administration also requested that 3M cease exporting respirators that we currently manufacture in the United States to the Canadian and Latin American markets. There are, however, significant humanitarian implications of ceasing respirator supplies to healthcare workers in Canada and Latin America, where we are a critical supplier of respirators. In addition, ceasing all export of respirators produced in the United States would likely cause other countries to retaliate and do the same, as some have already done. If that were to occur, the net number of respirators being made available to the United States would actually decrease. That is the opposite of what we and the Administration, on behalf of the American people, both seek.
We also continue to act on reports of price gouging and unauthorized reselling related to 3M respirators. This activity is unethical and illegal. We are working with the U.S. Attorney General and attorneys general of every state, making it clear that 3M has not and will not raise prices for respirators and offering our assistance in the fight.
We look forward to working closely with the Administration to implement yesterday’s DPA order. We will continue to maximize the amount of respirators we can produce on behalf of U.S. healthcare workers, as we have every single day since this crisis began.
On 15 March, the Commission introduced export authorisation requirements for exports of personal protective equipment outside of the European Union. This is a measure of temporary nature and not an export ban and is in line with all of the EU’s international obligations.
Given the evolving nature of the COVID-19 situation, the Commission has continued to keep its comprehensive response under review. In this respect, the Commission has reviewed various aspects of the new export authorisation measure to ensure that it fully meets its objective and operates in as effective a manner as possible.
Reflecting the integrated nature of the production value chains and distribution networks for medical and personal protective equipment beyond the boundaries of the European Union, especially in the four Member States of the European Free Trade Association – Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland – the Commission has now decided to exempt exports to those countries from the export authorisation requirements. A similar exemption is being granted to Andorra, the Faroe Islands, San Marino and the Vatican, as well as the associated countries and territories that have special relations with Denmark, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (so-called Annex II countries). This change will be effective as of 21 March 2020.
Filtering facepiece respirators (FFR), which are sometimes called disposable respirators, are subject to various regulatory standards around the world. These standards specify certain required physical properties and performance characteristics in order for respirators to claim compliance with the particular standard. During pandemic or emergency situations, health authorities often reference these standards when making respirator recommendations, stating, for example, that certain populations should use an "N95, FFP2, or equivalent" respirator.
This document is only intended to help clarify some key similarities between such references, specifically to the following FFR performance standards:
Read MoreEuropean Union Export Restrictions and 3M Product Availability Update re: 2019 Novel Coronavirus and COVID-19Dear Valued Customer,
On March 15th, the European Union introduced export authorization requirements for exports of certain Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) outside of the European Union in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The regulation is (EU) 2020/402 and is initially effective for a six-week period but could be extended. This regulation will be enacted by each country’s customs authority which will establish a process for receiving export licenses from EU to other countries.
This new regulation will likely impact 3M’s ability to supply certain Personal Protective Equipment sourced from our manufacturing operations in the European Union to customers in non-European Union countries.
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