Queensland Pfizer stocks run out, health minister says supplies will run out next week

The Queensland Minister of Health has named the Sunshine Coast as one of the areas in the state that will run out of Pfizer vaccine next week.

Yvette D’Ath said vaccine levels in the state were “critical”.

“We plan to run out of Pfizer as early as week 20 – it’s July 5,” she said.

Ms D’Ath said the chief health officer yesterday asked the federal government for 152,100 additional doses – or 130 additional trays – of the Pfizer vaccine.

“Our reason is also that we have said that an additional supply of vaccines is essential to avoid cancellations of appointments already committed and to ensure that we can continue to prioritize high risk areas,” she said. .

Ms D’Ath said the state was informed this morning that the federal government would not be providing additional supplies from Pfizer.

“We were not offered less than we asked for – we were denied any additional vaccine,” she said.

Ms D’Ath said Queensland would receive, on average, around 64,500 Pfizer vaccines per week in July and 45,000 were delivered yesterday.

She said it equated to eight days.

“We’re getting to this point that we’ll have to start prioritizing only second doses,” Ms. D’Ath said.

Queensland Health said it was recommended that the second dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine be given as close as possible to the 21- to 42-day window after the first vaccination.

The CBA has contacted the federal government for comment.

Commonwealth cabinet bare?

Ms D’Ath said that at the start of Victoria’s last lockdown, Queensland received 100,000 more vaccines.

She wondered if only the allocated supplies remained without emergency stock until “this big delivery in October”.

“Perhaps that is why the Prime Minister suggested that those under 40 [AstraZeneca], but we must act on [Therapeutic Goods Administration] and [Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation’s] advice on this, ”she said.

Earlier this week the prime minister announced that those under 40 who wished to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine could request it.

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But it was a movement that general practitioners surprised and this morning, Queensland public health chief Jeannette Young strongly advised against the vaccine for those under 40 due to an increased risk of blood clots.

“I don’t want an 18-year-old from Queensland to die of a bleeding disease, which if he got COVID probably wouldn’t die,” she said.

“We are not in a position to ask young, fit and healthy people to put their health on the line by getting a vaccine that could potentially cause significant harm to them.”

Dr Young reiterated that anyone under the age of 40 with underlying health conditions is eligible for the Pfizer vaccine.

She said an urgent meeting of all state and territory health officials would be held later today to discuss the matter.

“I feel a little disappointed”

The Sunshine Coast recorded a case of COVID-19 this week after a mining worker from the Northern Territory returned to the Bli Bli area and tested positive for the highly contagious Delta variant.

She is one of 42 active cases in the state.

The case sparked a rush of people getting tested and vaccinated.

Libby Derham, 40, got a date earlier this week for the end of July, but said she was concerned it might not happen.

“All these messages from everyone saying, ‘Go out and get the shot’, but there are so many people in my position who can’t get a date,” she said.

“I feel a bit disappointed with the government and the authorities – plus the federal government, because the supply is at that level.

“You feel like you’re trying to do your best… we’re doing our part to want to get vaccinated, to keep the spread at bay, but yet it’s coming from overseas.”

She said AstraZeneca’s announcement this week was confusing.

Another Sunshine Coast resident, Ashley Egan, who is under 60 with a pre-existing health condition, also struggled to get an appointment despite signing up for the vaccine weeks ago.

He was told that one of three clinics on the Sunshine Coast had an appointment in a month, but the other two clinics were booked for two months.

The ABC has contacted Queensland Health for further comment.