Parents fear WCH Covid vaccine sites a risk to child cancer patients

Public vaccination clinics at a hospital that treats vulnerable children are putting them at risk and should move, worried parents say.

The parents of child cancer patients are urging SA Health to relocate two adult Covid-19 public vaccination services embedded in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

They are concerned that the WCH vaccination services for AstraZeneca, in the creche next to the emergency department, and for Pfizer, in the former Boylan Ward on the first floor, exposes children undergoing chemotherapy to unreasonable health risks.

Parent Sally, who did not want to be identified for privacy reasons, said those entering the hospital and waiting for vaccination in shared areas did not wear their masks and disregarded lift quotas and social distancing. Her son is undergoing cancer treatment.

“He has no immune system, so if he catches anything it could be fatal,” she said. The clinics “just have to go” she said.

On of the vaccination clinics at the Women's and Children's Hospital in North Adelaide. Picture: Mike Burton

She is among the handful of parents who have spoken to The Advertiser on the condition of anonymity, amid concerns speaking out will affect their children’s quality of care.

They argue no other public Covid-19 vaccination clinics are embedded in Adelaide metropolitan hospitals. The clinic at the Royal Adelaide Hospital was in May shifted to the Adelaide Showgrounds at Wayville.

WCH Alliance convener Professor Warren Jones said the WCH was “the worst possible venue” for vaccination clinics and “must be removed”.

“These children on chemotherapy are immunocompromised and at high risk of infection,” he said. “They would have to be the most ­vulnerable of all patients attending any hospital.”

Professor Jones said that while families supported vaccination against Covid, they were increasingly worried by the added exposure to common colds and other contagious viruses through the hundreds of extra hospital visitors attending the clinics.

He said that the clinics should be moved off-site to reduce the added risk of infection in hospital entrances, lifts, and corridors used by vaccination clients.

Women's and Children's Hospital in North Adelaide – parents or cancer patients fear two public adult Covid vaccine clinics in the hospital are a health risk to their sick children. Photo: Naomi Jellicoe

A Women’s and Children’s Health Network spokeswoman said a different entry path had been provided for patients to access the Michael Rice Centre to avoid the vaccination clinics.

“The vaccination clinics at the hospital are an important part of the state’s vaccination rollout and we are proud to play our part in keeping all South Australians safe,” she said. She said current safety measures at the WCH included a strict Covic-19 screening process for all patients and visitors, who must also wear masks while at the hospital.