‘Perfect storm’ brewing for booster delays

Summer staffing shortages, pharmacies and GPs opting out of vaccination and the closure of state-run mass vaccination hubs could create the ‘perfect storm’ for booster delays.

Health Minister Greg Hunt and AMA president Omar Khorshid. Picture: Gary Ramage

Doctors and pharmacists say summer staffing short­ages, pharmacies and GPs opting out of vaccination and the closure of state-run mass vaccination hubs could create the “perfect storm” for delays in the booster rollout.

More than 4.1 million Australians are due for their booster shots by the end of the year, after The Australian Technical Advisory Group for Immunisation cut short the recommended time for boosters from six to five months in the face of Omicron.

Pressure on the nation’s vaccination capacity is expected to intensify when 2.2 million children aged five to 11 roll up their sleeves for vaccination from January 10.

With capacity wound back at NSW and Victorian state mass vaccination hubs and shifted to primary care clinics, the Australian Medical Association has warned that healthcare clinics might not be able to cope with demand for vaccinations, especially over summer.

AMA president Omar Khorshid said many GP clinics and pharmacists had opted out of participating in the booster program amid concern the federal government Medicare rebate was not sufficient to cover costs while delivering their normal services and flu shots.

GPs are paid $66 for administering the first two doses, with a higher payment for the second dose to cover the cost of the extra leg work required to chase down patients for their second shot. The booster program offers $24.50 for the third shot and pharmacies receive $16.

Dr Khorshid said just over 60 per cent of Australians eligible for their booster had taken it up, which was well below 90 double-dose vaccination rates in most states. “What is happening is practices are either not participating or not putting in the effort and if the booster program is going to hit 90 per cent, it really needs a lot of effort,” he said.

“Some will continue to do it because it’s the right thing to do for their country, but we have a very tired workforce, plus vaccinating all those children now will fall heavily on the shoulders of GPs, and there is a danger the booster program could fall behind.”

Australians are being warned to expect delays and longer wait times for vaccination bookings in pharmacies, with 1900 pharmacies signed up to deliver boosters compared with 3400 during the primary vaccination campaign.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia vice-president Anthony Tassone said just 55 per cent of pharmacies ordered Pfizer stocks in November over similar remuneration concerns, and a shortage in partici­pating pharmacies would spark delays. “If there are no changes to the number of pharmacies participating, there is a genuine concern there will be a shortage of pharmacists delivering the shots, and much longer wait times for ­people to receive a dose when they become eligible,” he said.

Community GP clinics will undertake the lion’s share of booster vaccinations, but many clinics pare back operating hours during the summer period, with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners estimating 30 per cent of staff take time off.

RACGP president Karen Price said GPs were still trying to catch up with a backlog of missed screenings as well as a surge in mental health patients during the Covid-19 pandemic, creating the “perfect storm” for delays in the booster rollout. “We are in the eye of the storm right now, when you’ve got GPs taking time off, children’s vaccinations about to start, screenings, flu shots,” she said. “The staffing drop off which you might expect in January will be a significant issue getting the booster program going.”

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Tuesday called for booster shots to be brought forward to three or four months amid a spike in Covid-19 cases.

“My view as Health Minister of NSW is that ATAGI should be looking at that very closely, with regard to in fact bringing on the boosters at as early as three or four months,” he said.