ACT records 18 new COVID-19 cases as Year 12 students to be given Pfizer vaccine priority

The ACT has recorded 18 new coronavirus cases as Year 12 students are prioritised for Pfizer vaccines ahead of their exams.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr speaks to the media during a COVID-19 update in Canberra.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr speaks to the media during a COVID-19 update in Canberra. Source: AAP

Year 12 students in the ACT will get priority access to Pfizer vaccines as 18 new coronavirus cases were recorded. 

The Territory is also set receive between 65,000 and 68,000 doses as part of a newly announced swap with the UK for four million jabs.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr estimates this deal equates to about one-and-a-half weeks of jabs being doled out in Canberra.

Separately, most of the 8,344 doses allocated to Canberra under a separate and earlier announced vaccine swap with Singapore will go to final-year students and teaching staff in direct contact with them.
They can access a pool of 5,500 Pfizer jabs from Monday until 17 September to help ensure exams can be held safely.

The Territory recorded 18 new infections on Friday, 15 of which were in the community for at least some of the time while infectious.

All but five cases were linked to known cases and clusters.

There are 10 people in hospital, three of which are in intensive care including a man in his 20s on a ventilator.

Children and young people are being hit the hardest by the ACT's outbreak three weeks into a twice-extended lockdown.


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Source: AAP, SBS


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