Wait for Pfizer to go on as North Coast vaccination clinics inundated

With the under-40s keen to get the vaccine, how long the North Coast will have to wait before first doses are readily available?

GP clinics have struggled to deal with an avalanche of phone calls on the first day the Pfizer vaccine was opened up to those under 40.

With under 40s now eligible to book in a Pfizer jab, the response has been immense with reports from some clinics that up to 300 people were calling trying to book in appointments.

Some clinics have now set up automated messages to dissuade people from trying to book over the phone.

Woolgoolga Medical Centre practice manager Jasmine Liffen said the response from the community had been “overwhelming” and on Monday “every second call” was about the Pfizer vaccine.

She added that the clinic was not opening up bookings until there was more clarity over when the vaccines would be delivered.

“It’s something you tentatively plan for. We have the ‘ballpark’ of the end of next month but I won’t plan anything because the last time it fell through,” she said.

“It’s just a waiting game.”

Healthy North Coast last week announced an extra 50,000 doses of Pfizer would begin to become available across the region from mid-September.

“By October, on average, we’ll have about twice as many weekly doses available to our communities. Starting next month, an additional 70 general practices will be delivering Pfizer vaccine as well as AstraZeneca,” Healthy North Coast chief executive Julie Sturgess said.

Northside Health in Coffs Harbour and the Lismore GP Super Clinic had both discontinued phone bookings due to the “extreme high volume of calls”.

A batch of the Pfizer vaccines are prepped for distribution. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Wayne Taylor

“We cannot help you with these bookings over the phone as we are simply inundated with calls at the moment and are busy making other types of appointments for patients,” the Northside Health automated message says.

“We do understand that the vaccination roll out program has been very frustrating and we thank you for your call and your understanding and patience with this process.”

The next available booking for Pfizer at the Lismore GP Superclinic is November 28.

Bucking the trend is Tweed City Family Practice which is now administering 300 doses of Pfizer a week, with about half of those first doses.

Group Practice Manager at Vital Health Katerina Ristevska said the only caveat was that only existing patients of the clinics could book in. They too have transitioned to online booking via the hotdoc.com.au platform.

“We are still getting the calls but not (as many) as last week and the week before … before they closed the border,” she said.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro looks on as Premier Gladys Berejiklian takes questions during a COVID-19 update and press conference. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams-Pool/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the state currently does not have enough Pfizer vaccines to cater for all needs, particularly now students and teachers are expected to be vaccinated before they go back to class on October 25, or earlier in regional areas.

“We have limited supply of Pfizer, so we are waiting for the Federal Government to announce if they have been able to get their hands in some supply earlier, or if the supply in September and October ramps up,” he said.

“Right now we are held hostage, even though those categories have opened up, the reality right now is that we don‘t have the Pfizer to meet all needs.”

Mr Barilaro had a clear message for people waiting for the Pfizer vaccine.

“For people that are waiting for Pfizer – it will get better, but my argument is that, if you medically cannot have AstraZeneca, we are working through the backlog.”