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Geraldton Hospital now offering Pfizer COVID vaccine, but doses not yet given to GP clinics

Phoebe PinGeraldton Guardian
A health worker displays a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Robert Ballanger hospita in Aulnay-sous-Bois, north of Paris, Wednesday, Jan.6, 2021. Amid public outcry, France's health minister promised Tuesday an "exponential" acceleration of his country's shockingly slow coronavirus vaccination process. (Christophe Archambault/Pool Photo via AP)
Camera IconA health worker displays a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Robert Ballanger hospita in Aulnay-sous-Bois, north of Paris, Wednesday, Jan.6, 2021. Amid public outcry, France's health minister promised Tuesday an "exponential" acceleration of his country's shockingly slow coronavirus vaccination process. (Christophe Archambault/Pool Photo via AP) Credit: AP

Geraldton residents who have been waiting for the Pfizer vaccine can now book to have their COVID-19 jabs locally.

Geraldton Hospital will be running Pfizer vaccine clinics every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with the vaccine available in town for 30-49-year-olds for the first time yesterday.

The Geraldton Guardian understands the clinic has been busy with Pfizer bookings, but some extra doses may be available to people who walk in without an appointment.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 16 are also now eligible for vaccination.

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More than 65,000 appointments and 91,000 registrations in the 30-49-year-old category have been booked in the past several days across WA, with yesterday marking one of the biggest days for COVID-19 vaccinations to date.

Hopefully in the coming weeks we will have confirmation of when and how many and if we will be able to access it, but nothing is confirmed just yet.

Mid West Respiratory Clinic practice manager Holly Fawcet said she was unsure when local GPs would receive Pfizer doses.

“Hopefully in the coming weeks we will have confirmation of when and how many and if we will be able to access it, but nothing is confirmed just yet,” she said.

Bookings for the Pfizer vaccine opened across WA on Tuesday, and appointments are still available for people in the Phase 1A and 1B cohorts, including people who work in disability and aged care, and younger adults with a specified medical condition.

Premier Mark McGowan said the State Government had opened up the vaccination rollout to a broader group of people in an effort to build momentum and get more people vaccinated.

“WA’s expanded rollout is in accordance with the advice from health experts to provide the Pfizer vaccine to everyone aged 30-49 and the AstraZeneca vaccine for people 50 years and older,” he said.

“The expanded rollout will mean State-run clinics will be extra-busy, but I ask people to be patient while we ramp up our clinics.”

Mr McGowan said it was imperative that more GP clinics be equipped to deliver the Pfizer vaccine as soon as possible.

“State-run clinics are just one way of getting the vaccine, so I call on the Commonwealth to deliver more vaccines to our local GPs and move quickly to allow pharmacies to join the rollout efforts,” he said.

WA currently receives around 28,000 doses of Pfizer each week, with that number expected to increase in coming months.

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