The arrival of Moderna doses in Canberra pharmacies this week will not only drive forward the vaccine rollout, but also carve out a path forward for the territory's kids.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tully Webb, 17, and her 15-year-old brother Griffin will be able to get their first doses as the bolstered supply comes in.
"Looking more into it, there's probably going to be a lot of benefits to it, which I'm really excited to look forward to," year 12 student Tully said.
"And trying to plan my future ahead - getting the vaccination will most likely help a lot with that."
Trying to plan my future ahead - getting the vaccination will most likely help a lot with that.
- Tully Webb
For year 9 student Griffin, the nearer future is in his sights: "I'm looking forward to riding my bike up at Stromway Mall," he said.
Pfizer and Moderna are the only two vaccines approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for people aged 12 and over.
Tully has had an insider perspective into the rollout, working as a pharmacist's assistant at Cooleman Court Pharmacy.
"At first, it was very hectic and confronting, but the community around has been very welcoming," she said.
"So we've been able to adapt pretty well, and I think being very positive in this environment has helped a lot."
Tully has noticed a great deal of interest from her friends, some of whom have come to her for reassurance about when they'll be able to receive vaccines.
"A lot of my friends are very interested in it, seeing as we're trying to make sure that we know as much as possible, and being in year 12 we want to be able to get back to school," she said. "And so they're asking a lot of questions about it."
"Most of the people at my school have been worried about COVID and ... [it] spreading through their family," Griffin said of the mood among his peers.
"So I reckon we'll be more positive and people won't have to worry as much."
The only downside to the extra jabs: needles scare Tully, though not at all the case for her brother, he said.
Brooke Veasey, co-owner of Cooleman Court Pharmacy, was eagerly awaiting their first shipment of Moderna at the weekend.
The Cooleman chemist is expecting to be among the first grouping of 65 pharmacies that will receive their Moderna doses starting next week.
Cooleman will open up enough bookings for the first 200 doses they'll receive.
"Within the first day out of the 80 eligible bookings that we had opened, 70 were already booked," Ms Veasay said of slots for the Moderna doses at Cooleman.
Each pharmacy will receive 200 doses of the Moderna vaccine to start, and 300 doses on a fortnightly basis from there, ACT Pharmacy Guild Branch President Simon Blacker said.
"Some pharmacies have chosen to open up the bookings around [next week]," he said.
"For others, like the one I'm working in, we're going, 'You know what we'd like to sit tight until we have a little more surety on on the exact day it'll arrive'.
"And then we will open up bookings immediately."
There's been resounding interest in getting the 12-15-year-old cohort vaccinated, as Canberra's outbreak of the Delta strain has reached into a number of school communities.
Mr Blacker urged people "to be a little patient" as Moderna doses come into supply to bolster existing stocks of Pfizer, which is currently offered to 12-15-year-olds through GPs.
From Monday, September 20, bookings will open for Pfizer doses for that group through ACT government clinics.
MORE COVID-19 NEWS:
"Obviously we want the 12 and over age to get vaccinated because it's part of that journey .... to hitting the vaccination targets so we can get back to normal," Mr Blacker said.
"So we're certainly having a lot of inquiries from families about 12 and over and how we look after that cohort."
He also said increased supplies of Pfizer were helping more 12-15 year-olds to get vaccinated sooner.
"So there's a positive trend appearing in the conversations, I'm hearing that people are starting to be able to access [vaccines]," he said.
Cooleman Court pharmacist Bev Mistry-Cable said: "We'll definitely see an influx of people wanting to get it done to get everybody back to normality."
Ms Mistry-Cable said there was a great deal of community interest in the new doses coming through, especially given "the stresses of not having the children being at school, those that have got their exams coming up".
"I think it's really important for them to sort of get back into their regular structure, and also for their parents and families as well," she said.