Coronavirus Qld: Annastacia Palaszczuk offers new reason for not getting Covid-19 jab sooner

Under-fire Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has responded to those criticising her for not getting her Covid-19 jab sooner, saying she would have got criticised if she had. Here’s why.

Annastacia Palaszczuk claims she would have been criticised if she’d “jumped the queue” and received her Covid-19 jab back in March when she was eligible.

And it’s still unclear if she’ll go to Tokyo for Brisbane’s Olympic bid next month, despite that being the impetus to get Pfizer instead of Astrazeneca.

Asked today why she didn’t get the vaccine back in March, the Premier said she “wasn’t going through all of that, I’ve been through that at length.”

Pressed further, Ms Palaszczuk said she didn’t want to jump the queue ahead of frontline health workers.

“You would have criticised me if I jumped the queue,” she said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was given the her COVID-19 vaccination on June 7. NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Ms Palaszczuk this week became the last premier over the age of 50 to get the vaccine, after several of her interstate colleagues opted to receive it months ago to help instil community confidence in the rollout.

Ms Palaszczuk was eligible for Pfizer in late March, but as she is over 50 she was also eligible for Astrazeneca on May 3.

The Premier, who has now received one dose of Pfizer, earlier this week said she didn’t get the jab sooner because she was bitten by her dog Winton and subsequently required a tetanus booster.

Because Astrazeneca requires 12 weeks between doses, and she could be required to travel to Tokyo, Ms Palaszczuk got Pfizer.

Her office would not provide an exact date of when she was bitten but it’s understood it was either May 15 or 16, and she received the tetanus shot on May 17.

Astrazeneca has been linked to a rare blood clotting syndrome.