MALLEE District Aboriginal Services (MDAS) has been busy as it begins vaccinating eligible clients with the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine after a period of vaccine hesitancy.
“Today is a very good day. We have a fully booked clinic and not one extra spot,” senior GP Dr Anand Patel said on Friday.
“We are running one person every five minutes.”
Dr Patel was hopeful increased eligibility for the Pfizer vaccine, announced on Thursday, would mean more people would come forward for the jab.
MDAS estimates between 1000 and 3000 Aboriginal people registered with the organisation are eligible for a vaccine, but Dr Patel said concern about side-effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine meant fewer people had been coming forward for a jab in recent weeks.
According to advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, the AstraZeneca vaccine is now recommended only for people aged under 60.
The panel updated its advice on Thursday after an increased rate of extremely rare but serious blood clots.
MDAS had been working hard to counter fears about coronavirus vaccines caused by concerns about the AstraZeneca side effects, assistant director of health Myra Spurling said.
“The media has frightened people,” she said.
She said many patients had heard media reports about rare blood clotting side-effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine and didn’t know that the Pfizer vaccine didn’t have the same effects.
To counter the vaccine hesitancy in the community, “we have been ringing all our clients”, Dr Patel said.
“Many of our patients, unfortunately, have poor health literacy,” Dr Patel said. “They associate blood clots with the COVID vaccine as a whole.
“So far we are having some resistance … but I’m very hopeful that as the time goes on whoever does have the vaccine will spread the positive news that there is nothing to be afraid of.”
Ms Spurling urged anyone eligible for vaccination to come forward.
“(MDAS staff) have had the jab and we’re still here,” she said.
“Pfizer is safe,” Dr Patel said. “If someone doesn’t want to (get vaccinated) for themselves, do it for the community.
“There are so many elders, they live with other family members. And they are at a very high risk.”
MDAS received an initial shipment of 400 vaccines in June, and has used half its doses. It is expecting a second shipment in coming weeks.
The MDAS clinic is open Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people between the ages of 16 and 59 are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine.
To make an appointment, call the MDAS free number on 1800 183 593.
