Pfizer fizzer sends jab hopefuls home in disgust

People who turned up for a ‘Super Sunday’ vaccination blitz thought they would be getting Pfizer jabs – but left in anger when they discovered they were being offered only AstraZeneca.

Tradie Wesley Walker, 43, from Parramatta, was at the vaccination hub keen to get any vaccine. Picture: Jane Dempster

More than 200 people who turned up for a “Super Sunday” vaccination blitz at Sydney Olympic Park thought they would be getting Pfizer jabs – but left in anger when they discovered they were being offered only AstraZeneca.

Queues formed early for the 5000 doses of vaccine set aside for cafe, restaurant, catering and supermarket workers after NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard promoted the “special day”, for those people to come and get jabbed.

But many who turned up felt they had been misled, with health officials bearing the brunt of their anger.

“The only people that will get Pfizer are the people who are booked in for Pfizer,” one healthcare worker could be heard repeatedly telling the crowd.

“Whatever the Health Minister has said, please take it up with the Health Minister because we have copped enough abuse today.”

One woman named Mirza, who did not want to give her ­surname, travelled from Cherrybrook and was hoping to get the Pfizer vaccine for her daughter, who works in the food industry.

“A lot of people drove all the way here for Pfizer based on the Premier’s address and then we turned up here and they’re leading us all to AstraZeneca,” she told The Australian.

“The Premier has just said that they will cater for bookings, and we drove all the way here for nothing. I know they’ve got Pfizer. We should just turn up and get what we want.”

Rosebery couple Josh and Zoe were also refused the Pfizer jab after a 30-minute drive and left saying communication from the government was confusing.

“We were watching the press conference and Gladys said they had excess capacity at the clinic so we rushed down,” Josh said. “I don’t feel comfortable getting AZ, we made the trip for no reason.”

One healthcare worker at the hub who spoke to The Australian on the condition of anonymity said they had turned away more than 200 people. “We are copping massive, massive abuse,” the healthcare worker said.

The influx of people looking for vaccinations – some who had driven more than three hours for a Pfizer vaccine – came as a surprise to those working at the vaccination hub.

Workers say they were not prepared for the Premier’s announcement.

“We were told there were 900 bookings for today, and to expect a few walk-ins because the Premier made an announcement on TV,” one vaccination hub worker told The Australian.

“On a weekday we normally vaccinate around 10,000. Today we had the staff for 1000 vaccinations. We did about 2800 vaccinations in total.

“[We] weren’t expecting the Premier to get on TV and make that announcement, and especially not specifying it’s AstraZeneca only.”

Year 11 student Brianna Holden, 16, and her father, Matt Holden, drove 30 minutes from Kellyville with the hope they’d both be able to be vaccinated on Sunday.

Mr Holden, a Uber Eats driver, is waiting for the Pfizer vaccine because of his history of blood clots and deep vein thrombosis – but it’s not stopping Brianna, who works in a cafe.

“Moving forward, I think it’s responsible because I don’t have any underlying health conditions,” she said before her AstraZeneca jab.

“I’ll be fine, I’m not worried about it. I trust it.”

Mr Holden was disappointed he couldn’t have his Pfizer vaccine on Sunday but has a booking next month. “I’m just trying to do the right thing and get it early today,” he said.

Wesley Walker, 43, is a ­plumber from Parramatta and has strong words for those who are hesitant.

“I’m going in and out of Sydney and dealing with faeces and DNA and everything else like that so I want to get as much of it [the vaccine] as I can.

“I don’t care now. You can’t make choices and have this and that. You’ve just got to get shit done.

“My mother was in Italy last year, and 70 people in her street died. In one street, 70 people.

“­Imagine if 70 of your neighbours died.”