A number of Australians aged under 50 who are not on the priority list have managed to get the Pfizer vaccine in the nation’s capital.
According to the rules agreed by the National Cabinet, the only groups eligible for the vaccine rollout at this stage are 1a and 1b.
The 1a phase includes quarantine and border workers, frontline healthcare workers, and aged and disability care staff and residents.
Phase 1b encompasses other healthcare workers, household contacts of border and quarantine workers, defence, emergency workers, meat processing employees, and people with underlying medical conditions or a significant disability. It also includes people over the age of 70, and Indigenous Australians who are over the age of 50.
The general population under the age of 50 isn’t listed in the rollout until stage 2b.
But the ACT Government has confirmed that a number of people who fall into that 2b category have managed to book an appointment and get their first shot at a government-run vaccination clinic.
“We are aware an SMS has been circulating to groups of people advising them to contact the COVID-19 booking line to book an appointment at the Garran Surge Centre,” a statement from an ACT Government spokesperson said.
“This SMS has been sent to people who are not eligible under phase 1a or 1b to receive a vaccine. This is not an ACT Government endorsed message.
“It appears some people who received this SMS booked an appointment and received Pfizer vaccines at the Garran Surge Centre over the long weekend.”
The spokesperson has also confirmed that there have been “missed or cancelled appointments” for both AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines at the surge centre.
“The ACT Government is working with employers to notify and remind people who are eligible to receive a vaccine at the Surge Centre to book their appointment.”
The government is now reviewing the booking process to work out how people who are ineligible managed to secure appointments.
It appears that the rogue text message began circulating in Canberra and contained a phone number for clinic bookings.
But the spokesperson said those eligible to use the clinic are contacted directly by their employer or ACT Health to book the appointment using that phone number.
“At this point in time, if people have not been contacted directly by their employer or ACT Health, they should not be booking an appointment at the Surge Centre.”
While ACT Health has not confirmed whether there were doses of the Pfizer vaccine that were going to exceed their shelf life if left unused, the spokesperson has also noted that there are steps taken to try and ensure the doses are still given to priority groups.
A nurse receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the in Canberra, Monday, 22 February, 2021. Source: AAP
“The clinic may vaccinate people who may not be in phase 1a or 1b. Usually, these opportunistic vaccinations are provided to carers or those accompanying the patient to the vaccination clinic,” they said.
“The availability of these opportunistic vaccinations are expected to significantly diminish as the national vaccination program is recalibrated.
Last week the Secretary of the Federal Health Department to address the low number of people in residential disability care who have received the vaccine, less than ten per cent.
"We are ramping up disability as we speak and we are absolutely cognisant of getting them protected as soon as possible," Professor Murphy said.
The Garran Surge Centre was built on the oval behind the main Canberra Hospital, to deal with the feared COVID-19 caseload in Australia.
It was originally designed to be a coronavirus ward, but has been repurposed as a vaccination centre.
