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Coronavirus: Pfizer vaccine concerns will not delay Australian rollout

Daniel McCullochAAP
VideoThere are concerns about the safety of the Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine after a number of elderly people died after being given the jab.

The deaths of a number of “very frail” people in Norway who received Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine will not alter Australia's planned vaccine rollout, according to the Federal Health Minister.

The Norwegian Medicines Agency has reported 29 people had suffered side effects from having the vaccine, 13 of them fatal.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration is seeking more information on the deaths but Health Minister Greg Hunt said at this stage there was no change to Australia's planned vaccine program, which is due to start next month.

The government is planning to distribute the Pfizer vaccine as well as the locally produced AstraZeneca jab.

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A survey of more than 1200 people by market researcher Roy Morgan has found more than three quarters of Australians are keen to be vaccinated.

Meanwhile, the head of the Federal Health Department believes it is unlikely international borders will substantially reopen this year, even if most people are vaccinated.

Brendan Murphy downplayed the prospect of a widespread easing of border restrictions, meaning dreams of international travel this year remain on hold.

"I think the answer is probably no," Professor Murphy told the ABC on Monday.

"Even if we have a lot of the population vaccinated, we don't know whether that will prevent transmission of the virus."

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