SA Health has fewer than one Covid vaccine dose for every two kids but GPs, pharmacies, should make up shortfall

SA Health expects to have enough Pfizer vaccines for SA’s 148,000 children – but faces a workforce shortage and a huge challenge to get them to the kids.

South Australia will have more than 140,000 paediatric Covid vaccine doses by next week for the state’s 148,000 children aged five to 11 – but faces a workforce shortage in the huge challenge to have all children with at least one jab before school starts.

SA Health officials told a parliamentary committee they estimate they will recieve 70,000 doses for state run clinics this month, prompting Labor fears of a shortfall, however federal Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said this only applied to state clinics, not GPs and pharmacies.

“Scheduled childhood vaccination deliveries into SA sites are 54,700 doses last week, 40,000 doses this week, 45,500 doses next week,” he said. “That’s more than 140,000 doses to cover every 5-11 year old in SA whose parents want a first dose.

“To maximise the workforce able to deliver child vaccinations it is entirely appropriate that doses are supplied to GPs and pharmacies as well as to SA Health.”

Pharmacy Guild state president Nick Panayiaris said people trained to deliver jabs is the biggest challenge rather than vaccine supply – initially 100 doses per participating pharmacy.

“We have the capacity in the sense of rooms and infrastructure, but we don’t have the workforce and are looking at every avenue to stimulate a call to arms for people to get trained,” he said.

“A dilemma for pharmacists at the moment is the kids’ shot came out after the booster so bookings and capacity was taken up by appointments for boosters.”

SA Health chief executive Dr Chris McGowan said: “We are now desperately in a mode to recruit as many capable and qualified staff to do what’s needed to be done.”

The state has now recorded more than three million jabs, federal records show, making 89 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated.

Dr McGowan and chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier noted a range of factors would influence the decision on when children go back to school, including the outbreak’s expected peak later this month and if teachers have had booster shots – which may be mandated. Prof Spurrier indicated the mask mandate may be extended to some children in primary school.

Mr Marshall said officials were investigating three options: delaying the start of the school year from January 31, “bimodel” learning – a combination of classroom and home learning – or starting as planned.

Education Department and SA Health officials will brief the Covid-ready Committee all this week before a schools decision by Friday.

Asked if air purifiers would help reduce transmission in classrooms, Prof Spurrier said there was very little evidence to support it.

“What is better is to have as many windows and doors open as possible and have fresh air coming into the classroom,” she said, also noting pop-up vaccination clinics at schools would be inefficient and it is better to have the shots done in a clinical setting.

Amelia, 10, with mum Anne-Marie Packer and sister, Georgia, 5, at the vaccination clinic in Enfield on the first day of jabs for primary school-aged children. Picture: Matt Loxton

Grilled about long queues for tests, Dr McGowan said there had been an escalation in capacity before the borders were open and the constraint was not government funding but staff to perform the tests.

SA Health is opening an extra 2000 appointments for children per week at Wayville.

Anne-Marie Packer, 41, of Aldgate, is proud of her daughters, Amelia, 10, and Georgia, 5, for getting their jabs at SA Health’s Enfield clinic.

Amelia is asthmatic and Georgia felt overwhelmed by the needle. Both got a lollipop and are now fine, said their mother, who is double jabbed and getting her booster on Thursday.

“I am more confident now,” said Mrs Packer. “The girls wanted to do their little bit for the community. They know it is not about themselves, it is about others as well.”

Lauren Jones, 44, of Unley, was turned away from the Wayville clinic with sons Hugh, 8, and Harvey, 5, after they tried to walk in on Monday, a week before their appointments at a GP clinic.

“I was a bit surprised as we were just trying to do the right thing,” she said.