With the Victorian outbreak and lockdown restrictions continuing, it is pleasing to see State Governments step in and offer priority access to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to encourage residential age cared and disability support workers get a jab.
The Queensland and South Australia Governments have followed the lead of the Victorian Government, who from Wednesday offered workers in the Commonwealth sector priority access at 10 vaccination sites.
“We will look after you, we will give you Pfizer, which means you can be fully vaccinated in three weeks,” said Queensland Health and Ambulance Services Minister Yvette D’Ath said on Wednesday.
“We ask employers, owners of residential aged care and disability facilities, talk to your staff today, get them online and registered, and we will make sure that we are vaccinating you.”
South Australia’s vaccination clinics also provided priority to all aged care workers for the Pfizer jab from Wednesday.
“So that’s why what we’re doing here is we’re using some of our capacity within the state system to get as many people in that vulnerable setting as protected as they possibly can as quickly as they can,” said Premier Steven Marshall.
Aged care workers were among the 1A priority group meant to have been fully vaccinated within six weeks of the rollout commencing on 22 February.
“Aged care workers were told they were front of the queue in phase 1a and now here we are. We don’t even know who has been vaccinated and who hasn’t. Clearly the (government’s) rhetoric hasn’t translated into reality,” said Leading Age Services Australia CEO Sean Rooney.
In Australia, the Federal Government has limited the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine to people aged under 50, with few exceptions. AstraZeneca is recommended for people over 50 years of age.
We hope everyone gets their shots as soon as possible.
