More GP clinics should be dispensing Covid vaccines, according to “stretched” medical centres in the Greater Dandenong region.
Waverley Police Road clinic manager Clara Lim said the phase 1B rollout was “stressful” on staff.
“People definitely need to book ahead. We’re only a small clinic so we’re doing 100 vaccines a week.
“We do as much as we can.”
Nine clinics in Greater Dandenong and its surrounds are taking part in the rollout. But many GP clinics weren’t part of the rollout, so their patients were forced to hunt around for a vaccine appointment.
“If the individual clinics could cater for their own patients, life would be easier,” Ms Lim said.
“It makes us more vulnerable. You have to screen new patients to make sure the vaccine is safe.
“We ask them to go back to their GP to get a summary of their health.”
A local clinic was fielding calls from desperate eligible patients, including a health care worker in Doncaster.
The clinic took all eligible patients, such as over 70s and frontline health care workers, but it required time to screen them for any underlying health conditions.
The clinic manager’s told Star Journal that it was plying 400 vaccines a week – with a waiting list of about a week.
“We’re absolutely stretched beyond belief. Our phones are going nuts, though most are booking in online.”
The vaccine rollout was suffering from bad organisation, the clinic manager said.
“I think the allocation has to be upped for all surrounding clinics, so they all can vaccine.”
Complicating matters is that the AstraZeneca vaccine has been linked to rare blood clotting disorders across the world.
It recently prompted the Federal Government to only recommend it for over 50’s.
As of 9 April, a 44-year-old Melbourne man is the only known blood clotting case linked to the vaccine. Local clinics told Star Journal they haven’t observed any stronger symptoms than a low-grade fever and sore arm.
There’s expected to be further delays in the rollout, with 20 million further doses of Pfizer vaccine on order.
As part of phase 1B, eligible recipients include over 70s and over 80s, the immunocompromised, health workers, indigenous Australians over 55 and emergency service workers.
Clinics offering Covid vaccines from 22 March include:
Dandenong and District Aborigines Co-operative Limited, Dandenong
Carrum Downs Respiratory Clinic, Carrum Downs
North Dandenong Clinic, Dandenong North
Doveton Medical Centre, Doveton
Keys Medical Centre, Keysborough
Parkmore Medical Centre, Keysborough
Mckinley Medical Centre, Mulgrave
Valewood Clinic, Mulgrave
Waverley Police Road Medical Centre, Noble Park North
The Phase 1B eligibility checker is at https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility
