Innisfail Hospital Covid-19 vaccine closure effects felt by healthcare network

An already under pressure healthcare network in a Far Northern town is feeling the effects of the only Queensland Health clinic offering Covid-19 vaccination shutting down.

An already under pressure healthcare network in a Far Northern town is feeling the effects of the only Queensland Health clinic offering Covid-19 vaccination shutting down.

With a 15 years and over population of about 24,000, the Cassowary Coast had just 82.4 per cent of its residents fully vaccinated by December 20. In Cairns it was 86.2 per cent.

On December 10 the Innisfail Hospital closed its vaccine clinic for a planned Christmas shutdown, despite Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at her Wednesday Covid press conference saying Queensland Health clinics would not close, only be scaled down for the Christmas period.

“There has been some reporting in the media, I just want to reaffirm Queensland has 23 vaccination locations operating over the Christmas break,” she said on Wednesday.

“Basically we’ll have the same number of hubs that have been operating during this pandemic.”

The Australian Government has approved select pharmacies to vaccinate people against the Covid-19 coronavirus, subject to strict conditions. Picture: Brendan Radke

However on December 6 CHHHS had advised the closure periods of its vaccine clinics, stating Innisfail was set to reopen on January 6.

“We have opened extra clinics during December, and extended hours of other clinics, in order to accommodate those wanting to receive a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine,” a CHHHS spokesman said.

“Over Christmas, our hardworking staff will be taking a much-deserved break to spend time with their families and friends.”

CHHHS executive director Covid-19 vaccine program, Dr Don Mackie said the service was prepared if there was to be an outbreak.

“We will still have our mobile clinics out and about where people live, work and play; and we will be able to stand up any of our CHHHS facilities for Covid-19 vaccinations if we have an outbreak,” he said.

CHHHS executive director of medical services Dr Don Mackie. Picture: Brendan Radke

The decision came just days out from the border reopening, a week from the proof of vaccination rules for certain venues and about a fortnight from a surge of Omicron cases across the state.

It leaves just four clinics at Innisfail, according to the federal health department’s vaccine clinic finder, to pick up the remaining demand for Pfizer jabs.

Among those was Alive Pharmacy Warehouse Innisfail which has had “back-to-back” vaccination appointments daily since the hospital’s closure.

“It’s been crazy here, they (Innisfail Hospital) have done a lot of first doses and referred places like us for the second,” pharmacist Bree Wright said.

“(On Wednesday) we did 40, on top of all of the medication we normally dispense. It is a lot of pressure.”

Asked about the timing of the hospital’s closure, Ms Wright said “it would’ve been good to have everyone all on board at the same time working on delivering vaccines.”

Originally published as Innisfail Hospital Covid-19 vaccine closure effects felt by healthcare network