Australia set to receive 85 million booster Pfizer shots next year

The federal government has confirmed Australia has secured 85 million Pfizer vaccines as booster shots that will start next year.

Delivery will begin in the first quarter of 2022 and enable booster coverage throughout the year.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new supply will provide certainty and allow every Australian with a booster vaccine, if needed, over the next two years.

"We have secured an additional 85 million doses of Pfizer, which brings Australia's total Pfizer doses to 125 million," he said in a statement.

"This is a significant shot in the arm for Australia's vaccine supply.

"We have turned the corner in Australia's vaccine programme and this is another milestone on our pathway back to a normal life."

'Ticket out of this crisis'

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said securing this supply of Pfizer shots is critical for the country to move towards a post-pandemic future.

"This virus is not going away," Mr Frydenberg told Sky News' Sunday Agenda program.

"There is one ticket out of this crisis and that's vaccinations."

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the supply would provide additional capacity for the government to better deliver on schedule demands based on changing ATAGI advice on the optimal time interval between shots.

"These additional doses further expands and strengthens Australia's vaccine capacity.

"More than 280 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have now been secured to support the COVID-19 rollout."

He said the new supply was secured with advice from the Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group.

'Worried about people in Sydney'

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten said the announcement was better late than never.

"I don't think Australia should waste time for the promise ... I'm worried about the people in Sydney right now," he told ABC's Insiders program.

Given the growing crisis in NSW, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) now says any adult in the greater Sydney area are strongly recommending people receive the vaccine, regardless of which one they are eligible for.

ATAGI had previously recommended that those under 60 should only get the Pfizer jab because of the extremely rare risk of blood clotting from having the vaccine in younger people.

"That's important because we know that we have got AstraZeneca available, but we haven't seen a huge take-up," Mr Frydenberg said.

Treasurer rejects claims of AstraZeneca brand damage

But he dismissed the idea that the AstraZeneca vaccine is suffering from brand damage.

"No it's not, because what we now have is the spread of the virus in NSW, the dangers that poses," he said.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller agreed that the only way out of the crisis is vaccination.

"The way the Delta variant is running through, particularly in Sydney at the moment, is that I can't see us getting down to zero for some time," he told Sky News.

The state crisis turned ugly on Saturday as protesters took to the streets after weeks of lockdown in the Greater Sydney area, including violent clashes with police.

Mr Frydenberg was blunt in his thoughts on the march, saying they have no place in the middle of a pandemic.

"Stupidity writ large. Just shocking."

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