Older South Australians won’t be punished for holding off for Pfizer jab

There’ll be no penalties for older South Australians who wait for a Pfizer option, authorities say, as another hub and a worrying new statistic are revealed.

South Australians older than 60 who hold out for a Pfizer vaccine over an AstraZeneca dose will not be pushed to the back of the Covid-19 jab queue, authorities say.

But the state’s top doctor, Professor Nicola Spurrier, has strongly urged everyone eligible for a jab to get one.

Her plea came as official new data shows almost a third of vaccinated patients have two doses amid a surge of almost 30,000 more people fully protected in the past week.

Prof Spurrier, the chief public health officer, wants at least 80 per cent of the adult population inoculated by October.

Commonwealth data shows more than a third of the state’s adults now have one dose but just 11 per cent both jabs.

Chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier strongly urged people to not wait for their vaccine if they are eligible. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

“I strongly encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated for Covid-19 to roll up as soon as they can,” Prof Spurrier told the Sunday Mail said on Saturday.

“While we’re not in an outbreak situation, things can change fast.

“Getting vaccinated is not mandatory but we strongly encourage you to get vaccinated as the effects of Covid-19 can cause serious ongoing health conditions, and sometimes death, particularly in people aged 60 and over.”

Authorities, and local GPs, have reported a growing hesitancy in older patients, especially those in their 60s, concerned about risks of rare blood clots linked to AstraZeneca.

The national rollout, which has come under fire for being sluggish, was dealt a blow on June 17 when Australia’s immunology experts recommended a Pfizer shot for people aged up to 59.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation advice limited AstraZeneca jabs to over-60s.

Prof Spurrier said SA Health would “continue to follow the guidelines and expert advice” from ATAGI, “who determine which vaccine should be used for which age group”.

But an SA Health spokeswoman said no patient would be penalised for their choice.

“While we encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they become eligible, those currently eligible to receive AstraZeneca who choose to wait to receive Pfizer will not be negatively impacted,” she said.

SA Health data shows almost 150,000 patients have had two doses of either vaccine.

This represents almost a third of the 477,000 vaccinated South Australians.

This compares to a week ago when a quarter of people were fully protected.

Almost 40,000 more women have been innoculated than men, SA Health data shows.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens watches Premier Steven Marshall at a Covid-19 update in Victoria Square. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Majority of infectious people in SA now sick children

The majority of SA’s 19 infectious patients in the Tom’s Court facility are now children.

SA Health on Saturday reported a baby girl younger than 12 months of age as one of two Covid cases.

The other sick traveller is a woman in her 20s.

There are 11 infectious children 17 or younger, including the three daughters and son – all aged under 10 – of sick miner Adam Ryan, aged in his 30s.

SA Health also revealed an ill man in his 60s was rushed back to the Royal Adelaide Hospital on Saturday, four days after he was discharged.

He and another man, 29, were in a stable condition on Saturday night.

The younger man has been in the RAH for the past six days.

Last week two ill travellers each arrived in SA from Pakistan and Britain with another from South Africa.

A number of new changes to the SA general #crossborder travel #direction #2, including the ability for SA residents from outside the 100km border corridor to travel into Broken Hill. This will make it much easier for workers from Adelaide to enter Broken Hill @SAHealthhttps://t.co/HItdsTBYIV

— Dr Emily Kirkpatrick (@Dr_EKirkpatrick) July 10, 2021

SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens authorised new legal directions that lifted all restrictions on NT and WA travel from 12.01 Sunday and clarified traveller definitions.

The legal directions include changes allowing SA residents who live outside the 100km NSW border zone to travel into towns such as Broken Hill.

The directions allow residents “who have reasonable cause to travel across the border for any purpose” if they don’t breach the 100km corridor.

Deputy chief public health officer, Dr Emily Kirkpatrick, said the new directions would make it “easier for workers” from Adelaide to enter Broken Hill.

Those who arrived back in SA before Sunday must still have Covid tests on their first, fifth and 13th day.

Other NSW, Queensland and ACT travel bans are still in place.

Police warned people to apply to travel at least a week before due to a backlog.

SA Health made no Tasmanian travel changes despite a scare with a London-bound traveller.

Mount Barker vaccination Clinic team leader Leeanne Waldron, project lead Jane Wright and southern infection control vaccination lead Rebekah Haythorpe. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Adelaide Hills residents get vax hub

Almost 1700 Covid-19 vaccines a week are due to be administered to Adelaide Hills residents after the latest mass vaccination hub opens on Monday.

The Mt Barker clinic has capacity for 240 vaccinations a day, offering 180 daily Pfizer appointments for patients aged 16 to 59 years.

Another 60 AstraZeneca slots are available for the over 60s.

SA Health said the Gawler St hub, which requires bookings seven days a week, will use resources from the current smaller Mt Barker hospital clinic, which will close.

Jane Wright, the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network’s vaccination boss, praised the “strong response from our local community to roll up and book in to get vaccinated”.

“Our new Mt Barker clinic will help us open up more appointments to get more people vaccinated,” she said.

Mt Barker vaccination team leader Leeanne Waldron said moving the clinic to the larger site “means that I’ll be able to help vaccinate even more people from Mt Barker and surrounds”.

“I encourage my fellow Mt Barker residents to book their appointments to come and get vaccinated,” she said.

Another hub will open in Gawler on Monday next week. A similar clinic opened in Victor Harbor last week.

Originally published as Older South Australians won’t be punished for holding off for Pfizer jab