Covid Qld: CHO’s AstraZeneca stance under pressure as outbreak worsens

Australia’s acting chief medical officer has sensationally rebuked Dr Jeannette Young and urged all Queenslanders to strongly consider getting the AstraZeneca vaccine, warning the outbreak now means the benefits outweigh the rare risk of blood clots.

Australia’s acting chief medical officer Michael Kidd has sensationally rebuked Queensland’s chief health officer Jeannette Young and urged all Queenslanders to strongly consider getting the AstraZeneca vaccine, warning the outbreak now means the benefits outweigh the rare risk of blood clots.

“The benefits of the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca are greater than the risk of the rare side effects occurring, in all age groups,” Prof Kidd said.

“What we have is 11 local government areas in southeast Queensland are a Commonwealth hotspot, therefore this meets the definition of a large outbreak.”

Prof Kidd’s remarks were echoed by Australian Medical Association vice president Chris Moy, who said Dr Young’s advice was “inappropriate”.

“My concern is advice that is given in a way that looks like a command can significantly reduce confidence in a vaccine that has been very effective,” he said.

“On the one hand she has concerns about a very tiny risk of doing something – which is giving the vaccine – but there’s also a massive risk in not doing something.

“If there’s an outbreak and people aren’t vaccinated, you’ve seen what is happening in Sydney at the moment and the number of people who are in hospital.”

Acting Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Queensland Health has not ordered any AstraZeneca in a month despite pleas for people to get vaccinated.

Speaking at the 10am press conference, Dr Young once again said she didn’t want young people to take the AstraZeneca vaccine, even though ATAGI’s advice has changed to say that the jab was open to everyone consistent with the advice of their GPs, and a major study out of Spain found it had a “similar” risk profile to Pfizer.

Pressed by a reporter, Dr Young said: “I said I didn’t want 18-year-olds to have AstraZeneca. And I still don’t.”

“Even now?” she was pressed.

“Even now,” she responded, adding that 60 should be the cut off age.

As the state’s southeast is declared a Commonwealth hotspot, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said he was offering Queensland another 150,000 AstraZeneca doses to help vaccine supplies during the outbreak.

But he revealed Queensland Health had not ordered any AstraZeneca in July and only ordered 1000 doses in May.

The low and no orders compared to 95,000 in March, 60,000 in April and 67,000 in June.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young has advised against giving the AstraZeneca jab to under-60s. PICTURE: Brad Fleet

“I can make the offer that 150,000 AstraZeneca could be provided immediately to Queensland Health if they seek it,” he said.

“We’re seeing significant distributions (in other states).

“I don’t have all of the state figures in front of me, but we’re seeing significant distributions in Victoria for example, which has ordered and administered over 400,000 AstraZeneca just in their state clinics so far.”

He said Queensland primary care doses of Pfizer would be increasing from 22,000 doses to 414,000 doses this month, while Queensland Government supplies would be increased from 348,000 to 409,000 doses.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd confirmed that the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advice for AstraZeneca was that in a large outbreak the benefits of AstraZeneca are greater than the risk of the very rare side effects for all age groups.

“What we have is the 11 local government areas in southeast Queensland are a Commonwealth hotspot, and therefore, this means the definition of a significant outbreak,” Dr Kidd said.

Infectious disease specialist Dr Nick Coatsworth said AstraZeneca was a safe, effective vaccine and encouraged any Australian aged over 18 who wants a vaccine now to seek out a provider who would discuss the risks and benefits with them and provide them with the jab.

“In Queensland, just as anywhere in Australia that has an outbreak, people should consider any COVID-19 vaccine that is available to them and not wait for a particular brand,” he said.

The Queensland chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners told The

Courier-Mail that the situation was putting Queenslanders in a no-win situation, with doctors expecting to be flooded with requests for vaccines during lockdown, but a short supply of Pfizer across the state.

Dr Bruce Willett said that Queenslanders should talk to their doctors about having the AstraZeneca jab and have it where appropriate.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said she welcomed the offer of 150,000 AstraZeneca doses and would “immediately put them to good use”.

“If the Morrison Government can supply these extra doses, they will go straight into people’s arms through the state’s pharmacy network in southeast Queensland,” she said.

“I’ve spoken to the Pharmacy Guild and we want pharmacies on the National Immunisation Program to be able to offer these extra AstraZeneca doses within days.”

But she said Queenslanded needed Pfizer supplies “more than anything else”.

“Queensland Health can rapidly increase its Pfizer vaccinations, provided the Morrison Government can get us more supply,” she said.

“We’re calling on the Morrison Government to do more to secure Queensland with extra Pfizer in the fight against the highly infectious Delta strain.”

Just over a week ago Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles rejected a request from NSW for some Pfizer doses to be redirected to help with the Sydney outbreak, saying Queensland had “meagre” supplies of Pfizer to spare.