Health authorities on the Northern Rivers say the region now has a supply of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
The news comes after Country Labor Member for Richmond Justine Elliot expressed concerns earlier this month that her electorate had no Pfizer available.
‘The supply of vaccines to our region has been a complete debacle,’ Ms Elliot told Bay FM’s Community Newsroom at the time, ‘I have calls from people every day concerned they can’t get the Pfizer vaccine, I understand we don’t have any here on the North Coast, some people are saying they’re booked in for months ahead to get it but we haven’t got it here on the ground’.
Healthy North Coast is the organisation responsible for rolling out Covid 19 vaccines to hospital clinics and GPs throughout the region and CEO Julie Sturgess says that’s happening.
15,500 Pfizer doses per week available via North Coast GPs
‘The vaccination program has been a gradual roll-out,’ Ms Sturgess said in mid-July, ‘and certainly initially, it was only Astra Zeneca available’.
Mr Sturgess said the supply of Pfizer had increased as of July.
‘On the North Coast we have about 35 general practices and six Commonwealth vaccination centres that are offering Pfizer from July and of course the hospital clinics in major locations are also offering Pfizer,’ Ms Sturgess said.
‘Probably on the North Coast through general practice there’s about 15,500 doses of Pfizer a week that have become available,’ she said.
Ms Sturgess said the Pfizer roll-out was being prioritised for those aged between 40 and 59 but that anyone under 40 who wanted the Pfizer could consult with their GP and register on a wait-list.
People aged 60 and older were mostly receiving the Astra Zeneca vaccine.
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