20 new Northern NSW GPs offering ‘limited supply’ of Pfizer Covid vaccines

Six Commonwealth Vaccination Clinics around Northern NSW will also be receiving Pfizer doses from this week, but residents have been asked to be patient when booking.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which was provisionally approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for people 16 years and older, is now available in Northern NSW.

THIRTY-FIVE Northern NSW general practitioners will start offering both Covid vaccines to local residents from this month, with 20 of them receiving their first Pfizer vaccines this week.

Monika Wheeler, Healthy North Coast Executive Director of Wellness, said the total number of GPs offering both Astra Zeneca and Pfizer is hoped to increase in the area between Tweed and Port Macquarie.

“Eighteen (GPs) have received their first Pfizer doses and they will start offering them this week, with another two expecting their first doses later this week,” she said.

“Further, 10 practices will commence next week and another five the week after.”

Mrs Wheeler said more GPs will be able to receive both vaccines after that, once more supply is made available by the Federal Government.

The Ballina Commonwealth Vaccination Clinic (CVC) began administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on June 21 for people aged 40 to 59.

Another five CVCs in Murwillumbah, Casino, Nambucca Heads, Kempsey and Wauchope were expected to received their first Pfizer vaccines this week.

“Those were originally GP respiratory clinics but they are now high-volume vaccination centres as well,” she said.

“But their supply is really limited.

“Back in March, when the practices started offering Astra Zeneca, we had a small amount of supply, and it’s the same now for Pfizer, because they are spreading this vaccine across the whole country and there is not a lot of it.

“In our region as well, the supply is quite limited.

“People will still need to be patient as they seek an appointment to get their Pfizer vaccine.”

The executive was unable to share the number of Pfizer vaccines allocated to the area, when asked whether demand is higher than supply in the area.

“It probably is, but we need to see how this week pans out, but I think there is a lot of interest in the 40 to 49 age group,” she said.

Mrs Wheeler said there is no data yet available for Northern NSW yet regarding people under 40 requesting the Astra Zeneca vaccine, after Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for that age group to visit their GPs and discuss if that vaccine was a possible option for them.

“We will be seeking feedback from GPs in regards to that, but we don’t have any data about that yet,” she said.

The best way for people to find out whether their local GP offers both vaccines, plus when and where to book a vaccination, is by using the online Vaccine Eligibility Checker and clinic finder.