Doctors and pharmacists report rush on Covid vaccinations after surge in Tasmanian cases

As Christmas approaches, doctors and pharmacists are seeing more cases of Covid prompting some Tasmanians to take precautions. Read the latest.

There’s been a rush on Covid vaccinations in the state after reports of more cases of the virus in the past 10 days than in the previous three months.

Both the Royal Australian College of GPs president Dr Toby Gardner and Pharmacy Guild Tasmanian president Joe O’Malley say there is “heaps” of Covid around prompting people to get their vaccinations.

While Dr Gardner said his Launceston clinic is out of stock, Mr O’Malley is confident there are enough vaccinations to meet the increased demand.

Mr O’Malley said he had seen more people with respiratory illnesses and particularly Covid in the past week.

“We’ve done more prescriptions for Covid antivirals, specifically over the last week than I’ve done in the last three months,” he said.

“There is (vaccination) stock all over the state.

“I imagine a lot of those sites won’t have hundreds of them because we don’t want to order a lot, and then have a lot go out a date.

“We’ve got a few dozen at each pharmacy, and we’ve got more coming.”

Doctor Toby Gardner chair of Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Tasmania. Tasmanian GP's visited the Tasmanian parliament to call on politicians to fund the stateÕs health workforce. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Dr Gardner said he was out of vaccinations until January 10 “because there’s just been a big rush on it because of all the increased incidents of Covid at the moment.

“We’re getting two or three a day in the clinic and our biggest issue is actually getting stock of the vaccine at the moment.”

One elderly Tasmanian woman with chronic health issues is worried she can access the Pfizer vaccination, which caused a reaction last time she had it.

Mr O’Malley said Moderna stocks would be out of date and the new Pfizer vaccination had been available in his Ulverstone pharmacy for a couple of weeks.

“Up until the last week and a half, there hasn’t been as much interest in Covid vaccinations,” Mr O’Malley said.

“But I can tell you with the number of Covid cases over the last 10 days, there’s been a lot more interest.

“The new vaccination is more relevant for the new variation that’s going around at the moment. “So instead of XB1.5, it’s JN1, which in America and Europe, certainly in the winter they’re having, so it seems entirely likely we will get the same over here.”

Joe O'Malley, president of the Pharmacy Guild in Tasmania. Picture: Supplied

The woman who contacted the Mercury said she suffered heart problems after her last Pfizer vaccination and was worried about getting myocarditis.

“I’m putting myself at risk by not getting vaccinated, but there is no choice,” she said.

“It’s appalling and a decision made by some uninformed bureaucrats who have no idea.

“It affects the whole of Australia.”

Dr Gardner said most medical practices only carried the Pfizer vaccine, supplied under the national immunisation schedule.

He said he believed the risks and side effects were similar whichever vaccine was used.

Mr O’Malley said the woman would have to talk to her GP or cardiologist and weigh up the risks.

A Health Department spokeswoman said all Covid vaccines currently available in Australia had been assessed for quality, safety and efficacy, and registered by the government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration.

“Tasmanians are encouraged to discuss the benefits and risks of Covid vaccination in their personal medical context with their healthcare provider,” she said.

Originally published as Doctors and pharmacists report rush on Covid vaccinations after surge in Tasmanian cases