Phase 1b rollout at city GP services expected from March 22

After months of preparation, the first AstraZeneca vaccine are set to be delivered to city GPs shortly – here’s when.

Toowoomba GPs are expecting to receive the first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from March 22, according to a city practice manager.

Ochre Medical Centre Wyalla manager Liz Cass said the service had been allocated a set number of the COVID-19 jabs a week, which would likely be administered at an after-hours clinic.

“At the moment, we’ve opened a couple of clinics, but we are conscious of the fact that they say the estimated date of arrival is March 22 but there can be delays from time to time,” Ms Cass said.

“Our first clinic is scheduled for March 27, but there is a possibility that more may be open during the week.

“Our Toowoomba service has been allocated 400 doses a week and our Oakey service has 100 a week. Our Kingsthorpe service will be given 50 doses a week, but not for phase 1b, in a later phase.

“Our thoughts are that some of the clinics will be after hours, on a Tuesday afternoon for example, but we are still in negotiations about this.”

The vaccinations will be performed on site by trained staff, Ms Cass said.

“We’re as prepared as we can be,” she said.

“We’re making sure that everyone’s getting in their training, absorbing the information and understanding the billing numbers.

“We’ve had close to 200 calls and expressions of interest about the upcoming arrival of the vaccines, and that is just from patients within our clinic.”

Ms Cass said the vaccination sessions would be open to the community, not just patients of the clinic.

“Patients will need to make an appointment for the vaccination clinic, so we ask they contact the centre to do this,” she said.

Phase 1b of the rollout will include adults aged 70 years and over, other health care workers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people older than 55 years, younger adults with an underlying medical condition and high risk workers.

For more information visit www.health.gov.au.