Budget needs 200k vaccines per day to meet target

Provocate C-suite consultants

Federal Budget Business & Media Brief

Budget needs 200k vaccines per day to meet target

KEY FINDINGS: The Federal Budget is banking on current COVID19 vaccinations increasing five-fold to up to 200,000 per day every day to complete the rollout by the end of 2021 – the same rate as Australia’s original targets before they were scrapped, according to C-suite consulting firm Provocate.

This is despite Australia’s current vaccination rate averaging just 35,000 per day, and its highest single day recorded to date (89,000) reached nearly four weeks ago.

Provocate Managing Director Troy Bilsborough – a former Senior Advisor to the Federal Health & Aged Care Minister (2013-2017) – said the biggest question remaining for business was what rate of herd immunity the Budget was banking on, as it meant a difference of 50,000 extra vaccinations daily between high and low rates.

“The safest bet is for Australia to collectively work towards the highest rate of herd immunity until we don’t.

“Other than the hardest political opponents, most Australian businesses will be willing the government on to turbocharge the vaccination rollout and meet their ambitious target so borders can open.

“However, to average 200,000 vaccines per day every day over the next seven months is going to be a monumental task, given we’re currently averaging about 35,000 per day, and business should plan conservatively and cautiously.

“The Budget predicting international borders opening six months after completing the vaccine rollout is a signal in itself government is providing a buffer on delivery without throwing out its economic forecasts.

“Until vaccination rates are consistently averaging at least one million per week, we would advise business C-suite continue to expect a vaccine rollout completion closer to 2023 than 2021.

“The increased level of Federal spending and debt announced now should also see businesses cautious and realistic about future government spending over the next four years and demonstrating clear win-win-wins to receive it.”

/Public Release.