Feb. 21, 2021 - AMA Queensland has welcomed the start of the COVID-19 vaccination program and urged all Queenslanders to talk to their doctor if they have concerns.
From today, the first batch of Pfizer vaccines will be given to aged and disability care residents, quarantine and border staff, and frontline healthcare workers at high risk of exposure to COVID-19.
AMA Queensland President Professor Chris Perry said initial doses were limited to those groups but it would not be long before the general population could access the vaccine.
"More than 5,400 GP clinics across Australia have applied to administer the vaccine, demonstrating the desire of doctors to participate in the nation's biggest mass vaccination program," Prof. Perry said.
"We appreciate people having concerns about something so new but there's a lot of reliable public health information available online and you can phone 134 COVID (13 42 68 43)."
AMA Queensland Council of General Practice Chair Dr Maria Boulton said about 1000 practices are likely to be approved under the initial phase.
"We understand that more GP clinics will be invited to participate as doses of the AstraZeneca become available," Dr Boulton explained.
"The majority of vaccines in Australia are administered safely at GP clinics because we have the necessary experience and training, particularly with the systems needed for multi-dose vaccines."
Dr Boulton said the millions of vaccinations to be done could strain the supply of consumables such as syringes, needles, vaccine trays, sharps containers and PPE.
She called on the State and Federal governments to use their procurement power to shore up supply, so that the vaccine rollout is not slowed.
"The last thing we need is to have vaccines sitting in a fridge, unable to be administered because clinics cannot access enough syringes or face masks. We do not want a repeat of the problems we had accessing PPE when COVID first hit," she said.
"Your doctor offers the best, safest environment for you to receive any vaccine. They understand your medical history, can answer your health questions, explain the process and ensure your vaccination record is up-to-date."
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Michelle Hele
