The Albanian government has quietly ended the Operation COVID Shield vaccination program, despite millions of Australians waiting for their boosters and a fifth of aged care residents waiting for their fourth dose.
In a letter to state emergency operations leaders on Friday, Operation COVID Shield co-ordinator Lt. Gen. John Frewen said the government “has advised that Operation COVID Shield will cease on August 1 ” and the functions will return to the Department of Health.
The government has disbanded the COVID-19 taskforce led by Commander Lieutenant General John Frewen. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“I appreciate your involvement and support in running Operation COVID Shield and thank you for your assistance during my time as overall coordinator of the National COVID-19 Vaccine Program,” wrote Frewen, who has returned in his position as head of the joint defense. Capacities
Created by the former coalition government after the nation’s vaccination program got off to a slow start, Operation COVID Shield was tasked with ensuring public confidence in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine by overseeing the logistics of vaccine supply and community messages. General Frewen’s role bypassed normal bureaucratic channels and allowed him to deal directly with groups and companies involved in the deployment, meet with state and territory leaders and chief health officers, and report directly to the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called a virtual national cabinet meeting to be held on Thursday after Health Minister Mark Butler expressed concern that millions of Australians had “effectively withdrawn from the vaccination programme”.
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Opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston accused the Prime Minister of scrapping another major COVID-19 measure “without explanation” after failing to expand concession holders’ access to rapid antigen tests free and hesitate to extend isolation payments.
She asked the government to explain “what advice formed the basis of its decision to scrap this most effective operation, particularly at a time when we are still clearly focused on vaccination as the main defense against the current wave of pandemic”.
A spokesman for the Department of Health said the vaccination program was now under “the direct supervision” of Secretary Brendan Murphy.