Queensland's COVID-19 vaccine program is up in the air after the main workhorse of the program — the AstraZeneca jab — is effectively sidelined for people under 50.
The federal government has secured a contract for an extra 20 million Pfizer doses but there have already been delays in getting vaccines from European suppliers.
So what's the current state of play with Queensland's vaccine delivery?
Here's everything you need to know.
What went wrong?
After a tiny number of people, mainly under 50 years of age, experienced deadly brain clots from the AstraZeneca jab, Australian authorities advised an abundance of caution.
It's now not recommended that people under 50 get the AstraZeneca jab because they have the highest risk of clots.
That was the group that was lined up to get the AstraZeneca vaccine — younger people with lower risk factors for COVID-19.
For older people, there's an inverse relationship between high risk for COVID19 and low risk for clotting, so it's still considered safe in older Australians.
What COVID-19 vaccine will I receive?
The vaccine program is now relying on more doses of Pfizer's vaccine to arrive in the last quarter of this year.
In the meantime, at-risk people, front-line workers and those over the age of 50 will get the AstraZeneca jab.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said nothing was changing for now.
But that's not quite right.
Reuters: Gareth Fuller/Andreas Gebert
)Where will I be vaccinated?
Most jabs are being given by GPs but they're using the AstraZeneca dose because it has been easier to transport and store.
So if you are over 50, you'll probably get an AstraZeneca jab from your GP.
Regional doctors had expressed concern that this would cause problems for rollout in remote areas.
But new information on the Pfizer vaccine shows it is more stable than previously thought and can be kept at higher temperatures — even in a normal fridge for about five days.
So Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the state government was rolling out Pfizer hubs across the state, to allow broad distribution.
"We'll be putting a Pfizer hub in every single hospital and health service," Dr Young said.
"So originally, we were only going to put them in the larger ones.
"But now we'll be rolling out across the whole state, so there will be Pfizer vaccine available across the whole state."
ABC News: Scott Lamond
)When am I likely to receive a Pfizer vaccine?
If you are in the current groups of people being vaccinated, you should get your dose as per the original schedule.
At the moment the rollout is in stage 1b, which is 1,049,000 Queenslanders, comprising of:
- Elderly adults aged 70 years and over
- Other healthcare workers
- Indigenous Queenslanders over 55
- People with underlying medical conditions or a disability
- Critical workers like police and firefighters
Dr Young has encouraged people in those groups to continue as planned.
"Now we're rolling out the vaccine for the most vulnerable and so it's important that they continue to be vaccinated," Dr Young said.
"It is important that older people who are not at that increased risk of having those adverse events from the AstraZeneca vaccine continue to come forward and get vaccinated."
ABC News: Chris Gillette
)The next group due to be vaccinated is 2a and should also go ahead as planned.
That is 1,250,000 Queenslanders:
- Aged 50 to 69 years old
- Indigenous people aged 18 to 54
- Other high-risk workers
The timeline is disrupted once the rollout moves to phase 2b, which is the broader adult population and people below 50.
That's 1,496,000 Queenslanders who were due to start getting jabs from mid-year.
Ms Palaszczuk cannot exactly say what effect the latest advice will have.
"Look, I don't have those answers." Ms Palaszczuk said on Friday.
"My information is that it won't really impact on the rollout, but [the] Department of Health will now work with Commonwealth Health to address any, any issues, but it's business as usual."
But Dr Young said there would be more availability of the Pfizer vaccine.
"We're going to be getting more doses earlier, so it's not just the extra 20 million doses towards the end of the year — some of those other doses are actually going to arrive a bit earlier — so we'll be able to roll out more Pfizer earlier," Dr Young said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison now won't say if all Australian adults will get the chance to have a jab by Christmas.
"We're not in a position at the moment to reconfirm a timetable," Mr Morrison said on Friday.
You can check your eligibility for vaccination by answering some simple questions on the Vaccine Eligibility Checker.
Supplied: WA Health
)What is happening with the rollout in the Torres Strait?
The AstraZeneca rollout in the Torres Strait is now on hold, with most of the residents there being aged under 50 and therefore in the high-risk group for clotting.
It's a double-edged sword though.
The Torres Strait also contains some of Australia's most vulnerable people to COVID-19, with Indigenous Australians are at higher risk of the worst forms of the disease.
It is also perilously close to Papua New Guinea, which is suffering a crippling wave of infections.
The Torres Strait is a clear example of how the AstraZeneca revelations have hurt the vaccine rollout.
Just 800 of the Torres Strait's 4,500 residents have been vaccinated — but now that's on hold.
Reuters: Gareth Fuller
)What you need to know about coronavirus:
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiYmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTA0LTEwL3F1ZWVuc2xhbmQtY292aWQtcGZpemVyLXZhY2NpbmUtcm9sbG91dC1leHBsYWluZWQvMTAwMDU4NjEw0gEoaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEwMDA1ODYxMA?oc=5
2021-04-09 22:20:47Z
52781502127079
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Queensland's COVID-19 vaccine rollout is set for a major shake-up. What are the new rules and how will they impact you? - ABC News"
Post a Comment