Annastacia Palaszczuk says she got Pfizer vaccine because she may need to attend Toyko Olympics

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been criticised for a “tone deaf” tweet about getting her Covid-19 vaccination.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been criticised for a “tone deaf” tweet about getting her Covid-19 vaccination.

Ms Palaszczuk received her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Monday, becoming the last eligible state or territory leader to get the jab.

“Today I got the Pfizer vaccine in the event I need to travel to Tokyo for the Olympics,” she later wrote on Twitter, adding a link to register for vaccination with Queensland Health.

Many criticised Ms Palaszczuk for the comment, with Australia’s international borders still closed to the public and domestic travel restrictions in place due to Victoria’s latest lockdown.

Today I got the Pfizer vaccine in the event I need to travel to Tokyo for the Olympics. Register to vaccinate here: https://t.co/4PFyE9EjOV

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) June 7, 2021

“Oh you’re going to Tokyo? How nice for you,” one person replied.

“I mean, many of us haven’t seen our families in years but hey, we can’t all be very important people doing very important things. Have such a fun time!”

Another wrote, “This is messed up. Millions of Australians want to see their families but can’t leave and you’re getting vaccinated so that you might be able to go to the Olympics.”

A similar comment said, “Absolutely tone deaf when people haven’t seen family for over a year.”

One person wrote, “It took me over six months, seven cancelled flights and $10,000+ to fly back to Australia to hug my terminally ill mum one last time and you are talking about ‘needing’ to go to the Olympics? Absolute joke and a kick in the guts to stranded Aussies. Assuming home isolation on return too.”

I also may need to go to... Tokyo... for the.. Olympics. Vax me up please. https://t.co/YUHyqpWv7C

— Osman Faruqi (@oz_f) June 7, 2021

If only there was some way to have predicted the reaction to this tweet. https://t.co/6DmPCBdysF

— Scott Dooley (@scottdools) June 7, 2021

Another said, “So you can go to Tokyo for absolutely no reason whatsoever, but vaccinated parents of a newborn can’t visit their baby in Queensland? It all makes sense now!”

One person added, “You’re keeping my elderly parents from travelling back to their home in Queensland despite the fact they’re in regional Victoria which has had ZERO cases – but you’re tweeting nonsense about going to Tokyo?! How appalling.”

Annastacia Palaszczuk receives her vaccination. Picture: Sarah Marshall/NCA NewsWire

One person commented that while they understood the “intended message” was that getting vaccinated was “our ticket to travel” and opening borders, it was “bad optics”.

“This reeks of political elitism that alienates people,” they said.

Many questioned why Ms Palaszczuk, who received the jab alongside Queensland’s chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, and senior cabinet figures including deputy premier Steven Miles, had not taken the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Mmm. She's 51. Shouldn't she be having ze Astrazeneca ... https://t.co/qxRUXR2xcD

— Samantha Maiden (@samanthamaiden) June 7, 2021

Why not AZ?.. why would she need to go to Tokyo?.. so many questions.. https://t.co/dwDux3Pcg3

— Natalie Forrest (@nat_forrest) June 7, 2021

Both Ms Palaszczuk and Dr Young had been under fire for not receiving their Covid-19 vaccine earlier.

Last month, Ms Palaszczuk said she had not had her vaccine because she was getting a flu shot first and needed to wait the required two weeks before she could get the Covid-19 vaccine.

The flu shot has been available since April while Dr Young, as per phase 1b, could have been eligible for the Pfizer shot back in March.

In Australia, the Pfizer vaccine is now recommended for people aged under 50 due to the risk of an extremely rare blood clotting condition associated with AstraZeneca.

Ms Palaszczuk is 51.

“Good for you, are they offering Pfizer to everyone over 50 now? Or just special people like you and (Prime Minister) Scott Morrison?” one Twitter user commented.

Another added, “You are a state premier, not an Olympic athlete, there is no scenario where you would be required to travel to Tokyo for the Olympics. Weak excuse to access Pfizer as a 51-year-old.”

– with NCA NewsWire