Message from the Publisher 033 – Mass Vaccination Clinics

Mass vaccination clinics

The Prime Minister has changed his views towards mass vaccination clinics. In the original rollout plan, general practitioners are the main delivery channels for vaccines to the public. In Melbourne, two mass vaccination clinics have been set up in the Exhibition and Convention Centre and the Royal Exhibition Centre to provide vaccination to critical workers only. At this moment, the public are being turned away by these mass vaccination hubs to receive vaccines.

It is quite clear the GPs who know their patients and have regular meetings are the best channel to deliver the Covid vaccines. They can understand and counsel their clients according to individual situations. Unfortunately, the much slower taking up rate in vaccination and the preference of Pfizer over AstraZeneca for under the 50s have disturbed this plan. Pfizer vaccine requires minus 70-degree storage has not just logistic problems but also is not easy for it to be delivered by general clinics because of storage and managing issues.
With Australia shifting from relying on locally produced AstraZeneca vaccine to Pfizer and other vaccines, the use of mass vaccination clinics seems to be the only solution to achieve the target of vaccinating all Australians by the end of the year.

However, experts suggested that such a change would mean that a large number of vaccines will be taken from GPs to these centres. With an unsteady and limited supply of Pfizer vaccines, such a change may cause more problems. These mass vaccination hubs require additional human resources and medical personnel and may further strain the already tight medical profession. Greater wastage of the vaccines will occur if these mass vaccination clinics are not well managed and the system of delivery not improved.

It is a test to the leadership of this federal government and the success of mass vaccination clinics will depend on its cooperation with the state governments. With the decline of confidence of the federal government in handling the vaccination, mass vaccination clinics will be an important test for the Prime Minister.

Raymond Chow
Publisher, BlessingCALD