Covid-19: New data reveals vaccine more accessible in east and south

Pfizer is about twice as accessible in some southeastern local government areas than in regions in Melbourne’s north and west that have suffered the highest Covid-19 cases.

Health Minister Greg Hunt announced on Sunday more than 400,000 doses of Pfizer and Moderna would be pumped into Melbourne’s north and west. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Pfizer is about twice as accessible in some of Melbourne’s southeastern local government areas as it is in the city’s north and west, despite them being the hardest hit by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Analysis of federal government data has found that in outer northwest Hume there is one doctor or pharmacist offering the Pfizer vaccine per 10,634 residents aged 15 and over and one clinician offering any vaccine per 3064 people.

The region, which includes the suburbs Broadmeadows and Craigieburn, has 1001 active cases.

In the eastern LGA of Stonnington, which has 31 active cases and includes Toorak and Prahran, there is one doctor or pharmacist offering the Pfizer vaccine per 4329 residents aged 15 and over and one offering any vaccine per 2210 people

In the western LGA of Hobson’s Bay, which has 192 active cases and was previously ground zero for the latest outbreak, there is one GP or pharmacist offering Pfizer per 13,267 residents and one clinician administering any vaccine per 2,653 people.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced on Sunday more than 400,000 doses of Pfizer and Moderna would be pumped into Melbourne’s north and west, including 27,600 ­additional Pfizer doses to be ­administered by GPs.

In addition, more than 108,700 additional doses of Pfizer will be sent to the Victorian government while the state’s pharmacies will receive an extra 180,700 Moderna vaccines. More than 700 pharmacists are expected to administer the vaccine by the end of the month.

“This blitz – GPs, pharmacies and the state – will focus in particular on the north and west of Melbourne where we are seeing similar challenges to those faced in Sydney,” Mr Hunt said.

About two-thirds of the 392 local cases reported on Sunday are in Melbourne’s north, including 137 in Hume, which has lower than average vaccination rates of 26 per cent second dose and 48.2 per cent first dose.

 

Hume mayor Joseph Haweil said the comparatively young LGA, which has a median age of 33, meant many residents became eligible only on August 30 and many wanted Pfizer.

“I accept that AstraZeneca is now available to the majority of people who want it, but the reality is that there were mixed messages from chief health officers and government officials around the country for a long time,” he said.

Mr Haweil said there was Covid-19 misinformation in the community and some residents in the diverse LGA had struggled with the online booking system.

In Moreland, which reported 49 cases, there are 3189 residents aged 15 and overfor every GP or pharmacist administering vaccines for the federal government and 7105 per clinician administering Pfizer.

In Whittlesea, which reported 42 cases on Sunday, there are 3067 residents aged 15 for every GP pharmacist administering vaccines and 9522 people per GP or pharmacist offering Pfizer.

In the eastern LGA of Boroondara, which includes Kew and Hawthorn, there are 2317 residents aged 15 and over for every GP or pharmacist administering vaccines and 5664 for Pfizer.

Victoria’s first-dose vaccination rate hit 65.2 per cent on Sunday, with Premier Daniel ­Andrews announcing pop-up vaccine centres would be established in communities and at schools, starting in the north and west.

“These pop ups are just ­another step towards reducing any barriers there might be to being part of this vaccination program,” he said.

About one in four of Victoria’s 392 new cases were in Melbourne’s western suburbs on Sunday, with 13 in Wyndham, 19 in Hobson’s Bay and 13 in Brimbank.

With 201,181 people aged 15 and over living in Wyndham, there is one GP or pharmacist per 3048 residents and one clinician for every 9580. In Brimbank where there are 171,362 aged 15 and over, there is one GP or pharmacist ­administering vaccines for every 2674 residents and one clinician offering Pfizer for 6120 people.