The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in the Shortland electorate is an absolute debacle.
This week my office has been contacted by a number of older residents who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine but are finding it almost impossible to make an appointment with a local GP.
There are just 11 medical practices* in my electorate who are distributing the COVID-19 vaccine, however not all of them are taking new patients.
John Hunter Hospital’s vaccine clinic is only vaccinating staff and frontline workers most at risk of contracting the coronavirus and is not open to the general public.
On top of that, most of the medical practices I have spoken with told me they only had 80 vaccine doses this week and were hoping to increase that number to 100 next week.
My electorate is one of the oldest in the country in terms of demographics.
Around 24,000 Shortland residents are over the age of 70 and are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine under Phase 1B of the Morrison Government’s rollout.
At the current rate, it will be between five and six months before older Australians in the Shortland electorate will receive their first shot.
That’s the end of September, and that doesn’t factor in second dosages and more people becoming eligible for the vaccine.
This is a disgrace and extremely distressing for older Australians who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
Scott Morrison promised to have all Australians vaccinated by the end of October.
He is clearly breaking his promise.
Is it any wonder the Prime Minister’s own Departments are now saying they don’t know when everyone will have been vaccinated?
This Government is all announcement and no delivery.
Scott Morrison and his Health Minister Greg Hunt need to urgently get on top of the significant issues with the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.
*Sourced from healthdirect.gov.au