When Queenslanders can expect to get the COVID vaccine

With the first vaccinations rolling out to Queenslanders on Monday, here’s when the rest of the state can expect their COVID-19 vaccine.

The Federal Government has signed on for two vaccines for a nationwide rollout in the coming months, and now eager Queenslanders are wondering when it will be their turn to get the jab.

The first batch of the Pfizer vaccine touched ground in Queensland on Sunday before Monday’s jabs while the Oxford University AstraZeneca vaccine was approved by officials earlier this month.

More than 200 people in priority groups at Gold Coast University were the first to get the Pfizer jab with 1000 people expected to be covered by the end of the week.

Gold Coast University Hospital is the first of the Pfizer “hubs” to roll out the vaccine, closely followed by Cairns Hospital, Townsville University Hospital, Sunshine Coast University Hospital, the Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital.

As the Pfizer vaccine has to be stored at -70C with only a five-day window of use after being defrosted, it’s unlikely the shot will be used outside cities or large regional centres.

This is where AstraZeneca will come in handy as not only can this vaccine be kept in normal freezers to make transportation easier, but it can also be administered by GPs.

Despite both vaccines coming at no cost to all state residents under Medicare, people won’t get to choose which of the two shots they’ll get.

With the government securing 53.8 million doses of AstraZeneca, it’s expected this vaccine will be administered to most of the general population while priority groups will likely get one of the 20 million Pfizer doses that are set to be available.

Queensland Health dubbed the rollout the “greatest in global history” but highlighted that the exact commencement date of each phase is highly reliant on when the Federal Government secures the doses. The current estimated timeline however should mean that everyone who wants the jab will at least have their first dose by October.

February

After the first 10,000 doses arrived in Queensland in late-February, the continuation of Phase 1A will see 125,000 people from priority groups including frontline health and quarantine workers and aged care and disability staff and residents get the jab.

March to May

The AstraZeneca jab will follow soon after with first shots being administered by mid to late March.

The rollout plan will move to Phase 1B between the middle of March to early April. This will see an additional million Queenslanders vaccinated including those over 70 years old, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders over 55, younger adults with underlying medical conditions and critical or high risk workers.

It’s expected that this is also when AstraZeneca will take over as the main vaccine to be administered through both GP clinics and hospitals.

Mid-2021

The middle of the year is when the general adult population can expect to receive the jab under Phase 2A which covers those over 50 and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over 18 years old.

Phase 2B will also occur in the middle of the year covering the remainder of the adult population, which is expected to be almost 1.5 million people.

Children under 18 are a part of the final stage, Phase 3, which will come later in 2021.

September to October

Both vaccines require two doses, AstraZeneca being 12 weeks apart and Pfizer being 21 days apart. If all goes to plan, second doses should be administered around September to October.

Vaccinations of priority groups are currently only administered through an invite with the government warning the general population not to head into their local GP asking for the jab.

Once a patient is screened for the vaccine, they’ll then receive the dose and follow up information. The vaccine will be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register and the patient will be monitored. When it’s time for the second dose, patients will be contacted with a reminder via phone or email and the same steps will be repeated for the final jab.

A Queensland Health spokesperson said that with limited vaccine supplies, it’s important to prioritise who gets it first but assured everyone in the state will eventually have the opportunity.

“People living in Queensland’s regional, rural and remote regions will be offered the COVID-19 vaccine at the earliest possible opportunity,” the spokesperson said.

“More locations will come online, including more hospitals, and GPs and pharmacies will deliver the vaccine to more Queenslanders, as safety and quickly as possible.”