Canberra coronavirus vaccine rollout delayed following AstraZeneca advice change

The ACT vaccine rollout will be delayed due to the federal government announcement on Thursday that the AstraZeneca vaccine would no longer be recommended to people aged between 50 and 59.

The vaccine advisory body said new data meant the ratio of risk to benefit, between the risk of blood clotting and the risk of contracting COVID-19 in that age group, had changed.

In response to the updated advice, the federal government will fast-track the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine to general practices - but currently only the AstraZeneca vaccine is available.

On Saturday morning, Chief Minister Andrew Barr said that the federal government had confirmed the ACT would receive an increase of Pfizer vaccines in the coming weeks.

"This means we have the capacity to make up to 1500 extra vaccination appointments a week over the coming weeks," Mr Barr tweeted on Saturday.

He added that there would be more information early next week for those aged 50 to 59 regarding how to book a Pfizer appointment and where they will be available.

Fisher Family Practice was inundated with calls on Friday from residents hoping to book in for the Pfizer vaccine.

Business manager Kylie Gibson said there had been "so much confusion" about access to vaccines, and urged people to be patient as they worked through cancellations and the rebooking process for patients eligible for AstraZeneca.

"It has put a lot of pressure on us," she said.

"We have had probably 30 phone calls today from people trying to book in for Pfizer.

"The workload through the whole vaccination process has been enormous for general practice. We just really ask that people be very patient with us, and [remind them] that we can only administer what we have access to."

The clinic was ready to put 140 jabs in arms on Saturday, but that number has been scaled back after cancellations in the 50-59 cohort.

"It has put a lot of pressure on us," she said.

"We have had probably 30 phone calls today from people trying to book in for Pfizer.

"The workload through the whole vaccination process has been enormous for general practice. We just really ask that people be very patient with us, and [remind them] that we can only administer what we have access to."

The clinic was ready to put 140 jabs in arms on Saturday, but that number has been scaled back after cancellations in the 50-59 cohort.

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The Fisher clinic is among the Canberra facilities hoping to soon be able to administer the Pfizer vaccine.

Lieutenant-General John Frewen, who is overseeing rollout logistics, said 1300 GPs would be able to deliver Pfizer vaccines by the end of July.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the rollout remained on track despite the AstraZeneca curveball, although ACT chief health officer Kerryn Coleman said it would delay expanding access to vaccination in the territory.

"It is very likely we won't be able to open up to 30- to 39-year-olds probably as early as we were hoping to," Dr Coleman said. "[But] I don't think it is going to be months and months."

Dr Coleman met with federal health officials on Thursday to discuss the ACT's Pfizer vaccine supply forecast and determine how many GPs would be involved in the next stage, as well as how many doses they would have access to.

"It's great to get [GPs] involved in increasing amounts as we become more familiar with these vaccines, and as we understand how they go to be embedded into our programs," Dr Coleman said.

Ainslie Family Practice medical director David Brand said the clinic had halved the usual number of doses administered on Friday due to cancellations of people aged 50 to 59.

The result was "short-term wastage" of AstraZeneca doses, which he hoped wouldn't be an issue into next week as most appointments were patients getting their second dose.

Health authorities say anyone aged 50 to 59 who has had the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine should get the second dose.

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