Supplies of the Pfizer vaccine are just days from running out at Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) but the Federal Government has refused urgent requests for backup supplies, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath has warned.
Ms D’Ath said Pfizer doses were at “critical levels” at a number of Queensland vaccination sites and the Sunshine Coast would have none left as soon as Monday.
Other sites were about eight days away from not having enough vaccines.
It comes as a record 18,447 Queenslanders lined up to get their shots on Tuesday and as all Australians are being urged to roll up their sleeves.
The Pfizer vaccine is being delivered to people aged 40 to 59 at mass vaccination hubs such as SCUH, with two doses spaced three weeks apart.
Ms D’Ath said the Queensland Government had written to the Lieutenant General in charge of the national rollout and requested 152,000 extra doses but had been denied.
This was despite Victoria receiving an extra 100,000 vaccines when that state requested them during a lockdown three weeks ago.
“We have only got what is allocated and no contingency stock until deliveries in October,” Ms D’Ath said.
The minister called on the Federal Government to explain why Queensland had been knocked back and questioned if the country was running short.
Ms D’Ath said priority would have to be given to those getting their second doses of the Pfizer jab.
Meanwhile, the Queensland Government is advising people under the age of 40 not to get the AstraZeneca vaccine after the Prime Minister this week changed the rollout rules to allow young people to opt in.
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said Queensland would continue to adhere to the medical advice that said people under 40 should get Pfizer — not AstraZeneca — because of the higher risk of blood clots in young people.
“I don’t want an 18 year-old Queenslander dying from a clotting illness where if they got COVID they probably wouldn’t die,” Dr Young said.
“Wouldn’t it be terrible if our first 18-year-old in Queensland who died from the pandemic died because of the vaccine.”
Dr Young said she did not understand the prime minister’s thinking in going against the medical advice.
The Prime Minister announced on Monday that GPs would be indemnified for delivering AstraZeneca to under 40s.
Four new cases, hospital employee infected by traveller
In good news on Wednesday, Ms Palaszczuk said there were only four new cases confirmed overnight and all were low risk.
One was the brother of the clerical employee from the Prince Charles Hospital.
Another was a close contact linked to the Portuguese restaurant who was already in quarantine and the third was a close contact of the Virgin flight attendant who was also in quarantine.
The fourth was an overseas acquired case in hotel quarantine.
It was revealed the unvaccinated hospital worker who sparked Queensland’s lockdown caught the Delta variant of COVID-19 from an unvaccinated traveller who was allowed to come and go from Australia.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles blamed the federal government for allowing the traveller to move between Australia and Indonesia, without being vaccinated.
Tracing has shown a receptionist from Brisbane’s Prince Charles Hospital has the same form of the Delta variant as that traveller.
The traveller was treated at the hospital, where the receptionist was stationed outside its coronavirus ward.
“They had been allowed to come and go between Australia and Indonesia repeatedly throughout this pandemic by the Morrison government,” Mr Miles told reporters.
“They are not vaccinated. And have been through our hotel quarantine several times.”
He said the federal government’s claims that borders were closed was a farce, and thousands of people were being allowed to travel here “who are not stranded Aussies”.
Ms Palaszczuk said the federal government had serious questions to answer about the risk such travel posed to the country.
Doctors urge young people to wait
Doctors are also urging people aged under 60 to wait for the Pfizer vaccine if they can, despite a surprise announcement from the prime minister that any adult who wants the AstraZeneca jab can have it.
Scott Morrison’s snap decision blindsided the Australian Medical Association and contradicted official advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.
ATAGI has recommended AstraZeneca only be made available to people aged over 60, with Pfizer to be given to all other adults.
An urgent meeting of health officers has been arranged for Wednesday to discuss the issue.
AMA president Omar Khorshid is urging people to follow the expert advice and have the recommended vaccine when it is available.
Health Minister Greg Hunt insists health advice for the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine has not changed, despite phones ringing off the hook at GP clinics nationwide.
The government has provided doctors with legal protection to vaccinate adults of all ages, sparking a rush of younger people keen to have the jab.
People willing to take the AstraZeneca shots are able to do so after consulting with their GP to discuss the remote risk of rare blood clots.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Karen Price said doctors were still trying to comprehend the changes.
She believes most doctors will follow expert medical advice to not give the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged under 60.
“If people are still insistent that they want to have AstraZeneca, then it’s up to the doctor and patient to work out how they feel about that,” Dr Price said.
“Generally the younger you are, the less likely anyone is going to proceed with that.”
State premiers are reluctant to endorse the decision, which the prime minister announced after a meeting of national cabinet.
-with AAP
