More than 250,000 vaccines have this week been distributed to 1000 general practices, Aboriginal health services and respiratory clinics.

Early figures show a steep rise in vaccinations.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd said another 3500 general practices would start administering vaccines to their local communities over the next four weeks.

“We will be ramping up very quickly over the next couple of weeks to distribute over 400,000 vaccines a week,” he told the ABC.

“That will increase further as more of the batches come through from CSL.”

There are still concerns over delays of vaccines on order from overseas.

Australia is still waiting on almost four million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from Europe.

Kidd still expects to receive the shipment, along with 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, by the end of this year.

But he is much more relaxed now that AstraZeneca vaccines are being produced in Australia.

“With CSL production now happening on shore, we are no longer dependent on overseas supplies,” he said.

“We still have contracts for additional doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from overseas, but we now have surety of supply with the CSL production.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is also talking up the value of locally made vaccines.

“The decision to have a domestic manufacturing capability here has been the big game changer,” he told ABC radio.

“We would not have a vaccine program were it not for the wisdom of that decision.”

More than 358,000 people have now been vaccinated in Australia, as the government aims to deliver jabs to all Australians who want one by October.

Phase 1b takes in everyone over the age of 70, along with Indigenous Australians over 55 and younger adults with a medical condition or disability.

Workers deemed critical or high risk can also apply.