The number of healthcare workers immunised against COVID-19 is set to increase with the arrival of the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
In line with new COVID-19 vaccination guidelines Mackay HHS now gives both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.
The Pfizer vaccine is given to people aged 49 years or under and people aged 50 and over receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
COVAX lead and Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery Julie Rampton said the hospital’s first doses of Pfizer arrived on Wednesday.
Mackay HHS has vaccinated more than 2250 people against COVID-19 since March this year.
“Our COVAX team and pharmacy staff have been working hard to prepare for the vaccine arrival as the storage and administration process is different to AstraZeneca,” she said.
Pharmacy staff had just three minutes to transfer the frozen Pfizer vaccine from dry ice packaging into a special freezer that stores the vaccine at -80 degrees.
The transfer must be done in a single movement with the freezer unable to be re-opened for a minimum of two hours.
Ms Rampton said there was additional training to thaw and dilute the dose.
In April the Australian Government updated its advice on the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for people under 50.
Ms Rampton said the health service was now ramping up its vaccination clinics to ensure eligible staff and other 1a group members were vaccinated.
“There has already been a strong uptake with the AstraZeneca vaccine, and we are now looking forward to offering all of our health service staff the opportunity to be vaccinated,” she said.
“This break has allowed us time to re-train our team of vaccinators and to work out the logistics of using Pfizer.”
Mackay HHS continues to vaccinate emergency service workers, border security, meatworkers and other priority groups such as patients with underlying medical conditions.
To check when you are eligible for a vaccine and your closet vaccine provider see https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility
