Confusion over AstraZeneca rules for under 40s

UNDER 40s must wait longer to receive their Covid-19 vaccinations in Swan Hill due to supply shortages.

Swan Hill District Health chief executive officer Peter Abraham told The Guardian they could not currently meet the needs of vaccinating people under 40.

“Not until we get good supplies of Pfizer and Oxford/AstraZeneca, and enough people on the ground to jab the arms, and having enough vaccinators to do the work,” he said.

He said some people under 40 had approached SHDH wanting to get vaccinated, after the Prime Minister on Monday indicated the age limit on the AstraZeneca vaccine would be extended downwards.

Mr Abraham said if people under 40 consented to receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine, they could chose it, but he recommended they first speak to their GP.There were previous concerns for people under 60 to get the AstraZeneca jab due to a minimal risk of blood clotting, with Pfizer being the preferred option.

Mr Abraham said what had changed was the government’s stance, but there was still a lot of people to vaccinate in the region.

“It’s about when it’s their turn,” he said. “Come up and get vaccinated, but be aware you might have to wait a while.

“I think when supplies increase and shift, and when there’s more opportunity for us and the GP practices, then it will be so much easier.”

Mr Abraham said the health service had been restrained by a lack of supply of vaccines.

“We have supply but we have managed it,” he said. “If we did 200 to 250 per day we’d run out.

“So far we’ve not had to turn anyone away, but that will change with no first doses this week.”

Mr Abraham said since the vaccination program began in March, the advice had changed every week

“It’s a moving beast for us to manage and keep going,” he said.

“At the start, with priority areas (groups) and with some still to vaccinate, people under 40 were getting AstraZeneca at our place (SHDH services),” Mr Abraham said.

“We fortunately didn’t have any significant (health) events occurring, in the minutes and days after.”

But not all health experts agree with the government’s latest move.

“The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation guidelines still haven’t changed – they still say it’s not recommended for people under 59 to have AstraZeneca,” Mr Abraham said.

Anyone who wishes to book a vaccination with SHDH should do so through the HotDoc app.