VACCINE BOOST
THE majority of the Gold Coast medical centres and practices have been given approval to administer the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Gold Coast Primary Health Network’s Dr Roger Halliwell said nearly all practices were given the nod to be a part of the rollout, but which practices would be first and when was still to be decided.
“It’s expected they’ll find out next week whether they’ll be one of the first that will get the gig,’’ he said.
GOLD Coasters will soon be able to access the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine after the health department gave the majority of the city’s medical centres and practices approval to administer it.
Gold Coast Primary Health Network’s Dr Roger Halliwell said nearly all practices were given the nod to be a part of the rollout, but which practices would be first and when was still to be decided.
“It’s expected they’ll find out next week whether they’ll be one of the first that will get the gig. When it does ramp up it will be for priority 1b only,” he said.
It’s thought that people will book online, but for those who don’t have computers such as the elderly, there will be another way to sign up.
“Some people may prefer to wait for their own GP to administer the vaccine,” he said.
Dr Halliwell said almost all of the city’s 150 or so practices put in an expression of interest, with only a handful told they did not qualify. However, health authorities were working with them on becoming compliant.
A letter to practices from the Department of Health said: “The groups receiving the vaccine in Phase 1b include older people and people with certain underlying conditions. No one is better placed to provide access to the vaccine to those patients than their own GPs.
“Practices will continue to be on-boarded within weeks of commencement to build a broad national footprint. The number of sites included in each tranche, as well as the expected throughput for each practice, will be dependent upon vaccine availability.”
Medical on Miami director Heather McLellan-Johnson said her practice had been given approval, and the COVID testing clinic Burleigh Cove Respiratory Clinic was expected to get the green light soon. She was preparing to administer nearly 4000 vaccinations a week.
“Physically, we will be administering in groups of five as the vial needs to be separated into five doses. After the vaccine there needs to be 10 to 15 minutes of patient monitoring, but essentially a group can be in and out in 15 minutes,” she said.
Following Phase 1b of the vaccine rollout, the AstraZeneca vaccine will be available initially to people aged over 70, high-risk workers such as Defence Force personnel and police, and the disabled and vulnerable.
Ms McLellan-Johnson said to assist with the rollout, locals were advised to wait until their age group was called for vaccination. “There is no point calling earlier, and potentially clogging the phone lines. Wait until it is publicised that your group is officially approved for the vaccine,” she said.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is administered in two doses, with the final dose 90 days after the first. Children under 16 are not currently approved for the vaccine.
The rollout will be conducted in three phases. Phase 1B includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 55 and older, GPs, additional healthcare workers, the elderly (70 and above), and younger adults with an underlying medical condition.