Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

I am respectfully but deeply concerned by the implications of the shadow minister, implying that a first dose does not provide significant and fundamental protection. That is the case around the world. As members may know, one of the fundamental decisions which the United Kingdom made was to stretch out the second doses in order to ensure that as many people as possible received a first dose at the earliest possible time. They settled on a 12-week difference between first and second doses, on the basis that the medical advice was that it would provide the maximum protection to the maximum number of people at the earliest possible time. This has been a global strategy, but it was reaffirmed in the advice of the Therapeutic Goods Administration in their decision to recommend a 12-week differential, which serves two purposes. It is deemed to be the optimal period of time at which the doses should be given, but it also serves the purpose of ensuring that as many people as possible, as early as possible, are vaccinated with the vaccine.

I understand that on many occasions the opposition have done their best to assist the vaccine rollout. But this particular question, I have to say, must be a source of deep disappointment to many, because it is implying that there is inadequate protection, it is implying that a first vaccine does not work and it is implying that a dosing strategy based on medical advice is not the appropriate thing to do. There are many things that the opposition has done to assist, of which they should be proud, but this is not one of those moments.

See this speech in context