Vaccination hubs to open to walk-in, footy fans targeted on ‘Super Pfizer Weekend’
Queensland will boost its vaccination rate in a “Super Pfizer Weekend” as all major hubs are thrown open to walk-ins, and jabs are available to anyone over the age of 12, including the over-60s who were previously told to have the AstraZeneca needle.
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Queensland will boost its vaccination rate in a “Super Pfizer Weekend” as hubs are thrown open to walk-ins and authorities consider whether to target up to 100,000 footy fans at next weekend’s NRL preliminary finals at Suncorp Stadium.
The plans to supercharge the rollout – including with a pop-up clinic at this weekend’s NRL finals in Mackay – come amid concerns the state’s vaccine rate is stagnating.
Hundreds took up the offer of a free jab at Rockhampton’s elimination final on Sunday and more pop-ups are planned in Mackay when Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters meet on Friday and Penrith Panthers and Parramatta Eels clash on Sunday.
It follows Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s announcement that over 60s would now be able to get a Pfizer jab from 80 state-run clinics from this Saturday as everyone over the age of 12 is invited to come forward for a jab.
The move marks a shift away from older people being offered AstraZeneca only at most clinics and comes as it can be revealed fewer people have been turning up at GPs and chemists to get jabbed with AstraZeneca or Pfizer.
Figures provided to The Courier-Mail shows that a month ago, on August 15, 89,235 people got vaccinated through the state program, and 171,011 at GPs and chemists.
By September 11, a month later, numbers of jabs given under the state program had risen to 135,544 and the numbers of Commonwealth jabs had fallen by more than 30,000-per-day to 140,023.
“GPs and pharmacies have the majority of the vaccine stock but no one’s going to them to get vaccinated,” the health source said.
He said authorities worried the messaging around getting jabbed at GPs and chemists had been “underwhelming”.
“As a result, the primary health vaccination rate in Queensland is in decline,” he said.
“It’s a major concern.
“We could be doing so much better.
“Instead, we’re seeing more and more people head to state-run hubs, growing confusion about how to get vaccinated at a GP or pharmacy and a lack of knowledge about the supply that’s available.”
Meanwhile, Ms Palaszczuk said she had listened to the wishes of Queenslanders in opening up Pfizer to all.
“They said to me loud and clear they want to have a choice,” she said.
“Well I say let’s give it to them.
“We’re able to now do this because the supply is coming in.”
More than 189,400 Pfizer doses arrived on Monday.
“Let’s use the lot,” the Premier said.
Meanwhile, Moderna will be available at Queensland chemists from next week.
No new community-acquired Covid cases were recorded yesterday and about 57 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have had one dose with 38 per cent now fully vaccinated.
Originally published as Vaccination hubs to open to walk-in, footy fans targeted on ‘Super Pfizer Weekend’
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