SA coronavirus vaccine rollout details revealed

More than 60,000 South Australians at the front of the queue will begin their coronavirus vaccinations within weeks.

Immunisation nurses at Flinders Medical Centre will be at the vanguard of the vaccination effort. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

More than 60,000 South Australians at the frontline of the state’s COVID-19 war will start receiving coronavirus jabs within weeks, as hundreds of health workers put their hands up to help.

In a highly anticipated announcement after Friday’s national cabinet meeting, the State Government revealed nine major hospitals would become vaccine hubs.

Insisting jabs were safe, authorities urged the public to back the ambitious vaccination program, which aims to have every SA person offered a shot by Christmas.

In the rollout’s first phase, expected to be launched by the end of the month, “high-risk” quarantine, medi-hotel and border and airport workers, as well as frontline healthcare staff will be vaccinated.

Aged-care residents and workers will also be protected with the Pfizer vaccine.

In a week, almost 1000 ­people have registered their interest in working at an SA Health vaccine hub, including Flinders Medical Centre nurse Mel.

“While the measures we’ve had in place have helped control the spread, the vaccination is the best way to protect against severe COVID-19 disease and help get us back to normal sooner,” she said.

Premier Steven Marshall said hubs would be located at nine major hospitals including the Royal Adelaide, FMC, the Lyell McEwin and Women’s and Children’s hospitals.

Regional hospitals will include Riverland General at Berri, Mt Gambier, Whyalla, Pt Pirie, Pt Augusta. Initially, the RAH will be the only site to operate, which the Opposition criticised as it called for more sites to be opened.

Additional clinics, which will be based around hubs, will open later in later stages of the vaccination rollout when supplies are available. Clinic locations are still to be identified.

The government will use thermal shipments until special fridges are established.

The rollout’s first phase is for more than 60,000 people to be inoculated twice in 28 days but the precise number of doses the Federal Government will deliver was not disclosed.

A second phase, on a date yet to be set, will include more at-risk workers, before a wider community rollout in coming months. SA Health is still investigating how the jab will be administered, including at GP surgeries or pharmacies.

South Australian Health Minister Stephen Wade. Picture: David Mariuz

Health Minister Stephen Wade said every person would get access to a “safe and effective vaccine” based on risk assessments and priority groups.

Hubs were dependent on federal supplies, he said.

“It is certainly a very challenging task force for us; this is the largest peacetime operation that South Australia has faced,” he said.

“Of course it’s a huge operation, there will be road bumps but we look forward to the co-operation of the community to maximise the effort.

“We’ve seen … South Australians are strongly backing the vaccination programs, in some cohorts with almost at 95 per cent. It would be great to see a similar enthusiastic take-up of the COVID-19 vaccines.

“It’s a very important component, and getting back to COVID normal.”

Deputy chief public health officer Dr Emily Kirkpatrick said it was “critical for us moving out of this pandemic that we all get vaccinated”.

“I think everyone should take into account their own personal circumstances, but it is really important to emphasise that as a community, we have to get behind this vaccine,” she said.

“We have done exceptionally well … but we cannot put all of that good to waste.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison hoped vaccinations would eventually render COVID-19 akin to the flu.