PM blames lack of international supplies for vaccine rollout delays

Prime Minster Scott Morrison has blamed the delays in Australia’s vaccine rollout on a lack of international supplies and denied there is a hold up in the release of domestic doses. “The release of vaccines has always been based on them completing those processes,” he said. “So, the fact that they actually have to get approved by the relevant authorities and do the batch testing is not a hold up, it’s a necessary part of the process to guarantee Australian’s safety. The prime minster said the government’s target to administer four million vaccines by the end of March was missed because 3.1 million of the doses never reached Australia. An EU official was quick to respond and told Reuters the European Union was not responsible for blocking the 3.1 million doses. The EU did stop 250,000 doses from being shipped to Australia back in March but told Reuters none of the seven shipments currently under review were destined for Australia.