MEMBER for Murray Helen Dalton has slammed the NSW Government’s decision to take Pfizer coronavirus vaccines from regional NSW so that Year 12 students in Sydney can be vaccinated.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Wednesday Year 12 students in eight high-risk local government areas would be subject to a Pfizer vaccination program before their HSC exams.
A NSW Health spokesperson said “up to 40,000” Pfizer doses would be reallocated from rural and regional supplies to vaccinate the students.
The Far West Local Health District, which covers Wentworth, Dareton, Balranald and Menindee, has paused new Pfizer vaccine bookings in the wake of the announcement.
Mrs Dalton said the announcement left rural NSW “very vulnerable” and “sends the message that rural lives are not as important as those of their Sydney counterparts”.
“We are already short on vaccines,” she said, and “regional NSW residents are waiting several months for their vaccine appointment”.
Limited vaccine supplies in south-west NSW may put extra pressure on supplies in Mildura, where residents have reported months-long delays in getting access to the Pfizer vaccine.
Mrs Dalton reiterated her concerns regional health systems were not fit to cope with a COVID-19 outbreak.
“All the hospitals in the Murrumbidgee region have a combined total of just six ventilators,” she said.
“That’s an area larger than Scotland.”
Mrs Dalton said Ms Berejiklian should have locked Sydney down earlier.
“Giving vaccines to Year 12 students only won’t do much to restrict the spread of the virus,” she said.
“I don’t understand why the National Party – who call themselves the only party for regional Australia – allowed this to happen.”
“The Pfizer doses will be sourced from supplies across rural and regional NSW to ensure no one area is impacted,” the NSW Health spokesperson said.
Vaccinating people in Sydney would reduce “the likelihood someone will acquire and spread the virus”.
A Far West Local Health District (FWLHD) spokesperson said first-dose Pfizer bookings in the region would be paused for two weeks, “after which the direction will be reviewed”.
“Anyone currently booked for a Pfizer vaccination (first dose) will be contacted and rescheduled to a future date.
Anyone currently booked for their Pfizer second dose will receive it.”
Only state vaccination clinics would be affected by the change, the spokesperson said.
“The FWLHD understands that GPs will continue to supply Pfizer vaccinations in regional NSW, and that supplies from the Federal Government to them (including to the RFDS and Aboriginal medical services) are unaffected by this reallocation.
“AstraZeneca remains available from GPs, NSW Health clinics and a growing number of pharmacies.
“People can still register for the Pfizer vaccine. They can check to see if they are eligible to receive a vaccine and, if eligible, book an appointment at a clinic via the Australian Government’s eligibility checker.”
