Toowoomba Hospital and QEII Hospital in Brisbane will become Queensland’s latest AstraZeneca vaccination hubs this week.
Priority 1a health workers at the two hospitals are expected to received the first vaccinations at the new hubs on Wednesday (March 10).
The two hospitals join the six Queensland Pfizer hospital hubs announced in January – Cairns, Townsville, the Royal Brisbane and Women’s, Princess Alexandra, Sunshine Coast University and Gold Coast University hospitals – and the AstraZeneca hubs that opened at Logan and Bundaberg on Monday.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the new hubs would provide crucial protection to even more workers on the frontline of Queensland’s fight against COVID-19.
“Queensland’s vaccination rollout is gathering momentum,” the Premier said.
“Fifteen days into our vaccine rollout, more than 10,000 Queenslanders have received their first vaccination.
“These numbers will continue to grow in coming weeks as the AstraZeneca vaccine becomes the second vaccine made available to our Priority 1a frontline workers.”
The Premier said other locations for the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine would be finalised soon.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the Pfizer vaccine rollout continued to exceed its projected targets.
“Queensland Health keeps exceeding its weekly targets, bringing the vaccine to more and more Queenslanders,” the Minister said.
“This is a staged rollout and it’s important to remember that Queensland is reliant on its supply of the vaccine from the Commonwealth.
“We are getting the vaccine to more and more people and very soon our first frontline workers will receive their second vaccine dose.
“We need to prioritise the vaccine for the most vulnerable and ensure a steady stream of supply so that everyone who wants the vaccine will be able to access it when it’s their turn.”
- Related article: When Will You Get Vaccinated?
I can’t work out why the Qld Government has gone with the AstraZeneca vaccine when it only has a proven 80% success rate against COVID-19. Is it because it is a cheaper alternative to the proven 98% Pfizer vaccine? Don’t all Queenslanders deserve to receive the best vaccine available? And will the government accept responsibility when those who have been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine still end up contract the COVID virus?
Neil … we aren’t medical experts, and much of the information available on this subject on social media wasn’t written by medical experts, either.
However, efficacy rates for the AstraZeneca vaccine have also been recorded at higher rates than you state (eg. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00528-6/fulltext).
But as with everything to do with this virus and the vaccines, real world data is still coming in and being analysed by scientists and epidemiologists.
It has been widely reported the Pfizer vaccine has more difficult storage requirements, ie. it requires specially designed, temperature-controlled shipping boxes and then must be stored in special, ultra-low-temperature freezers whereas the AstraZeneca vaccine can be transported at normal refrigerated temperatures. This would have to be more practical when considering the size of Queensland. Also, the AstraZeneca vaccine will soon be available from Australia’s CSL facility in Victoria whereas utilising the Pfizer vaccine solely would leave us dependent on imports.
As it stands now it looks like the government has backed the wrong horse. Many European countries have put a hold on the rollout of AstraZeneca.
Funny how our illustrious PM managed to get the Pfizer vaccine while the vast majority of us are slated to get the “runner up” vaccine. I wonder if Mr Albanese has received a shot yet. Maybe they all got Pfizer as part of a plan to promote having the vaccine, any vaccine, to the public.
We are over 70s and would like to know why in this democratic country we cant have the Pfizer vaccine as it is the one we prefer. I feel a lot more people would be innoculated if given the choice.
I am a retired nurse and have done my own research. Which needle did our Premier get?