Australia has bought one million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine from Poland, a large part of which is used in New South Wales and its capital, Sydney, where restrictions had to be reimposed on Saturday due to the record spread of the epidemic. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced that more than half of the vaccines will be given to children between the ages of 20 and 39.
The Australian government is facing growing criticism for the slow pace of the vaccination process: only 24 per cent of the population over the age of 16 has received both vaccinations.
Those living in the country’s largest city are particularly impatient because due to the increase in the number of contagious cases, it appears unlikely that Sydney will be able to ease its nine-week quarantine on August 28. The spread of the disease among the most vulnerable Indigenous people is of particular concern, Head of State Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in western New South Wales. Neighboring Victoria has also seen an increase in new cases, so its capital, Melbourne, cannot ease the two-week restrictions. Restrictions were imposed for a week in the capital, Canberra, on Thursday.
