AMA vice president says Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s decision to get Pfizer doesn’t ‘pass the pub test’

A senior figure of Australia’s peak medical body says the vaccine decision of one state leader risks denting public confidence in the jab rollout.

The vice president of Australia’s peak medical body has slammed the Queensland Premier’s decision to get a Pfizer vaccine instead of the AstraZeneca, saying it doesn’t “pass the pub test” and risks denting public confidence in the jab rollout.

Annastacia Palaszczuk, 51, was administered her first shot of the Pfizer jab on Monday despite that vaccine being preferred for those under 50.

As part of Queensland’s 1B cohort, she had also been eligible to get a vaccine since late March.

The Premier explained the decision was due to the possibility she may need to travel to Japan for Olympic commitments, where the AstraZeneca shot has not been approved by authorities.

Ms Palaszczuk told reporters she and Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe could be required to deliver presentations as part of the state government’s bid to host the 2032 games in Brisbane.

“I may have to go to Tokyo to present on behalf of the state and sign all of the Olympic agreements,” she said.

“If I can’t go to Tokyo then Sterling Hinchcliffe will need to go, so that is why he has been vaccinated with the Pfizer as well.”

But Australia Medical Association vice president Dr Chris Moy questioned the reasoning, saying the Premier should be scrutinised for the decision.

Australian Medical Association vice president Chris Moy is concerned about vaccine hesitancy.

“If a doctor was found to be taking advantage of a position to either procure an advantage in treatment for themselves, their friends or their family, that would be deemed unethical,” he told NCA NewsWire.

“Unfortunately, a decision like this has to at least survive the pub test and should be scrutinised properly, just as a doctor would be scrutinised if a decision was made to advantage family or themselves.”

Ms Palaszczuk, along with the state’s chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, has repeatedly told Queenslanders to seek the advice of a GP if they had any queries about the vaccine or had any underlying conditions that may impact their eligibility.

The Premier’s spokesperson said on Tuesday Ms Palaszczuk would have received the AstraZeneca vaccine if it wasn’t for commitments related the games.

“As the Premier said yesterday, if she were not possibly required to travel to Tokyo in an official capacity to continue Queensland’s bid for the 2032 Olympics, she would have received the AstraZeneca vaccine,” the spokesperson told NCA NewsWire.

When asked on Monday, Ms Palaszczuk said the “chief health officer got AstraZeneca, the Health Minister got AstraZeneca, so you know, the cabinet is following the guidelines”.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she received the Pfizer vaccine because she may need to travel to Tokyo. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Dr Moy, who is 54 and was vaccinated with AstraZeneca, said a doctor would face questions about “professional standards” and face “ramifications from a medical board” if they were to defy eligibility requirements.

He also said a public leader, such as a state premier, foregoing the AstraZeneca vaccine risked denting the confidence of the jab rollout, which was already facing hesitancy issues across the country.

“What is clear is that both the vaccines are good, safe and we're extremely lucky to have both AstraZeneca and Pfizer and probably Moderna later on,” Dr Moy said.

“A decision like this, even if it is in the context a decision about Tokyo, doesn’t help in terms of confidence when in fact AstraZeneca is cleared as a vaccine.”

The AMA vice president said the recent outbreak in Victoria should serve as a warning, insisting Australians are “sitting ducks” against the deadly pandemic without being vaccinated.

“We’ve got to get the vaccines out as fast as possible and what we have at the moment is lots of AstraZeneca,” Dr Moy said.

“We’ve just got to get it out there.”