Covid-19 vaccine for children launched in SA as the SA Health site crashes

On the day Covid vaccination bookings open to children, the SA Health site has crashed. Staff say they are working to rectify the problem as soon as possible.

On the day Covid-19 vaccination bookings open to children, the SA Health website has suffered a major glitch.

Problems started when people attempted to book their children aged 5-11 in for a jab on Monday, with the website displaying that clinics were currently placing orders for vaccines.

“If you can’t find a suitable clinc or appointment please check again in the next few weeks,” it wrote.

At around 12pm the site was officially down, displaying that the website was currently unavailable, prompting people to check SA Health’s Facebook and Twitter for updates.

Suspected to have been caused by increased traffic on the site, SA Health staff were working to rectify the problem as soon as possible, they said.

As cases in soar in the state, SA Health announced it would today open slots for children aged between five and 11 to have their Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. Under rules approved by the country’s immunisation panel, children will be eligible to be vaccinated from January 12 next year, which is more than three weeks before the start of the school year.

Officials said appointments would be available from then to ensure all SA Health sites have adequate supplies to meet an expected surge in demand.

Children will receive two doses, eight weeks apart. This is a third of the vaccine amount given to patients older than 12.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) approved the jab for youngsters on December 8.

Educational support officer Lara Strever, 42, of Clarence Gardens, will be booking in her daughters Sophia, 10 and eight-year-old Emily.

Richard and Lara Strever with daughters Sophia, 10, and Emily, 8, who will be booked in for Covid vaccinations in the new year. Picture: Matt Loxton

Ms Strever, who moved from South Africa with businessman husband Rich, 49, four years ago, said she trusted the science and SA authorities for their pandemic management.

Both parents are vaccinated.

She said chief public health officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier and Premier Steven Marshall had “built up my confidence”.

“I get the flu jab every year and I know how sick I got without it,” she said.

“I want to be able to take the girls travelling, out in public and to events. I would not feel as safe with them unvaccinated.”

An SA Health spokeswoman urged people to get vaccinated.

“This is a major step forward in our Covid-19 vaccine rollout,” she said.

“Having a higher proportion of the population protected will help to reduce the rate of Covid-19 transmission across the state.

“We encourage South Australians to take advantage of the school holidays and book in before the school term begins.”

In the past week, 46 children aged under 12 have become infectious with Covid including 13 cases reported yesterday.

Last week Willunga Primary’s final school “super spreader” assembly of multiple Delta cases forced up to 500 students, parents and teachers into quarantine.

Figures show 293,701 Pfizer doses are currently sitting in SA Health fridges while 3852 Astra Zeneca doses are being stockpiled.

Only 280 of South Australia’s 30,000 staff in public schools and early childhood settings have declared they will not be vaccinated against Covid-19.

Under a state government mandate, these staff members will not be allowed to work at school sites and have been or will be sent on leave.

To book a child’s appointment visit: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/covidvaccine