Vaccine Rollout in Australia - personal accounts.

[Batterytraveller]

After a first round that took 5 hours standing in line at jeff’s shed. Round 2 was a lot easier thanks to whoever posted the Austin health booking link. Arrived at the appointed time check in jabbed, got a sticker and now being monitored.

Full super powers in 2 weeks. More importantly it looks like we get lollipops when we check out.

 

[Pushka]

No lollipops at all in SA.

 

[Bundy Bear]

No lollipop where I went in Queensland either.

I was trying to book my 2nd vaccine for a few weeks in the future and it seems the booking page doesn't go past the 1 July on the locations I tried. I booked in for the flu shot tomorrow so it will be 2 weeks after that.

 

[Denali]

AZ#1 on Wednesday and today is Saturday. After 2 days of feeling headache'y this morning I woke up and felt back to normal/clarity. Was a good feeling to recognise as yesterday arvo I was over it.

 

[Major]

Just had my 1st AZ jab. Now to wait until 20th June for #2

Well that's me done and dusted. Second AZ jab completed.

Hopefully no issues.

 

[Batterytraveller]

A little over 24 hrs after my second Pfizer and no noticeable side effects. I did have a substantial nap yesterday afternoon but that might have been a side effect of the large sausage roll I had for lunch.

Overall less bad than this years flu shot which had me in bed with a temperature for half a day.

 

[Bodie]

Mrs Bodie and I had second shot on Friday at Royal Brisbane. Very good set up now in place. We had appoitment time and skipped queue of just walkins and the 15 min monitoring was longest part of process. Both only have tender arms from injection, which is now clearing. Didnt see any lollies.

 

[Lynda2475]

So I just came home from brunch with my parents (aged 76 and 77). Their GP isnt doing vaccinations as he is busy enough seeing actual sick people, so my Dad booked their first vaccination (in late March) via a medical centre they had no prior relationship with which was listed on the health.gov.au site and second dose booking was made the same time.

Their second AZ jabs were booked for this Thursday (excatly 12 weeks after the first dose) but the medical centre called up late on Friday to reschedule for 3 weeks later because they have had so many AZ cancellations they cant justify the cost of having a nurse come back to give them until July.

This is disgusting given there are community cases and my Mum in particluar is very vulnerable due to multiple bouts of cancer, being very under weight and imuno compromised. 15 weeks between doses is an unecessary wait and unforgiveable given we are absolutely swimming in unused AZ doses.

So I jumped straight online using my tablet and re-booked my parents in at the state run Olympic Park max vac centre for this Thursday per the recommended schedule.

This appalling behaviour from that GP practice has confirmed for me that GP is not a reliable channel (especially when you are not an existing patient of the practice) and I am extremely thankful that there are state run hubs so that they are not left vulnerable.

I am writing to their local federal member and the AMA to report this particluar GP practice as sends a really bad message that the vulnerable can afford to wait (no idea why none of the actual GPs are capable of giving a vaccine and have to bring in a nurse) but a practice that operates so unprofessionally shouldnt be part of such an important program.

 

[jonboixxx]

confirmed for me that GP is not a reliable channel

n=1

 

[Flying mermaid]

Two friends had their second AZ jab last Sunday and Ms FM and husband had theirs yesterday. No side effects at all this time.

 

[drron]

So I just came home from brunch with my parents (aged 76 and 77). Their GP isnt doing vaccinations as he is busy enough seeing actual sick people, so my Dad booked their first vaccination (in late March) via a medical centre they had no prior relationship with which was listed on the health.gov.au site and second dose booking was made the same time.

Their second AZ jabs were booked for this Thursday (excatly 12 weeks after the first dose) but the medical centre called up late on Friday to reschedule for 3 weeks later because they have had so many AZ cancellations they cant justify the cost of having a nurse come back to give them until July.

This is disgusting given there are community cases and my Mum in particluar is very vulnerable due to multiple bouts of cancer, being very under weight and imuno compromised. 15 weeks between doses is an unecessary wait and unforgiveable given we are absolutely swimming in unused AZ doses.

So I jumped straight online using my tablet and re-booked my parents in at the state run Olympic Park max vac centre for this Thursday per the recommended schedule.

This appalling behaviour from that GP practice has confirmed for me that GP is not a reliable channel (especially when you are not an existing patient of the practice) and I am extremely thankful that there are state run hubs so that they are not left vulnerable.

I am writing to their local federal member and the AMA to report this particluar GP practice as sends a really bad message that the vulnerable can afford to wait (no idea why none of the actual GPs are capable of giving a vaccine and have to bring in a nurse) but a practice that operates so unprofessionally shouldnt be part of such an important program.

No it confirms to me that all that media sensationalism has totally disrupted our vaccine rollout.
I have found the same problem here in Tasmania.The only Government centre I could get a second AZ shot was in Ulverstone over 100KM away.But they had a clinic a day before the 12 weeks were up but wouldn't allow me to book that as the 12 weeks weren't up.So booked with a GP.

 

[Lynda2475]

But this problem was a GP under the commonwealth program, whereas zero issues booking with NSW Government run mass vac hub.

Because the Olympic Park hub is doing both Pfizer and AZ, a bunch of AZ cancellations from 50-59s isnt enough to derail the program, they are still opening and operating every week day. However the small scale of the GP practices means a few cancellations can make it uneconomincal for them to deliver any vaccines at all and they cancel on everyone for weeks as has happend at the one my parents where booked into.

The GP channel is just not the right solution for the metro areas of our largest cities, the economies of scale of mass vac hubs makes them much more resilient to cancellations and more efficient in getting through large numbers.

Now it may be the case that the Tas govenrment run mass vac centres are worse than Tasmanian GP practices, but in NSW the State run hubs are much easier to book and dont cancel on you the way GPs in NSW are doing.

 

[tgh]

The vaccine programme seems to have slotted into our local GP practice seamlessly.
One dedicated Covid GP and one nurse were flat out t'other day.
Passed my mind that the GP screening was a bit of a waste, but some folks probably draw comfort.. so whatever it takes..

 

[cmon0005]

Had my 2nd dose of Pfizer this weekend exactly 3 weeks after the 1st.
So far side effects minimal, feel a bit 'cloudy' and glands on the neck are up a bit.

 

[jakeseven7]

n=1

And what a shocking surprise this member is the n=1

 

[nancypants]

The vaccine programme seems to have slotted into our local GP practice seamlessly.
One dedicated Covid GP and one nurse were flat out t'other day.
Passed my mind that the GP screening was a bit of a waste, but some folks probably draw comfort.. so whatever it takes..

It’s essential as otherwise the GP can’t bill Medicare for the immunisation (I believe that is the only funding they’re getting for this, but happy to be corrected on that point)

 

[Pushka]

It’s essential as otherwise the GP can’t bill Medicare for the immunisation (I believe that is the only funding they’re getting for this, but happy to be corrected on that point)

Registered nurses are giving the shots at the 2 clinics we’ve been to with no Dr involvement and I’m betting they aren’t doing it for free (and nor should they). Using a GP does earn them a higher $ amount but that means taking a GP out of the practice to do the vax.

 

[nancypants]

Registered nurses are giving the shots at the 2 clinics we’ve been to with no Dr involvement and I’m betting they aren’t doing it for free (and nor should they). Using a GP does earn them a higher $ amount but that means taking a GP out of the practice to do the vax.

We’re not able to bill as RNs here- the GP sticks their head around the door and calls it a consult (or, my aboriginal health practitioners can give the shots without a GP being involved and then bill at a lower rate- but they don’t want to be involved at this stage). As you say, serves no purpose except $. Would be interested to know what the underlying funding arrangement is

 

[Denali]

Speaking to a coworker that had AZ#1 on Thursday and he had the entire list of side affects. Fever, headache, unable to concentrate, shivering, high and low temps - was using Dr Google and contemplating a trip to hospital but seems to be over the worse, although I would say he still looks pale today.

His wife, after seeing this, cancelled her AZ booking this morning.

 

[nancypants]

Speaking to a coworker that had AZ#1 on Thursday and he had the entire list of side affects. Fever, headache, unable to concentrate, shivering, high and low temps - was using Dr Google and contemplating a trip to hospital but seems to be over the worse, although I would say he still looks pale today.

His wife, after seeing this, cancelled her AZ booking this morning.

This is unfortunate and she really needs to be encouraged to keep the appointment. The story goes that the first jab of AZ is relatively worse than the second

I would have quite happily had AZ (indeed I would have preferred it to Pfizer) but the choice was removed before I was able to get in for AZ. 2nd dose of Pfizer almost a month ago and still struggling with side effects

really feel quite strongly that employers (or government) should be offering up a few days of paid vaccination leave to encourage uptake- either people use it to rest up and recover or the lucky ones get a few paid days off to enjoy. I had a week of unpaid leave and then several days of dragging myself to work feeling like hot garbage; not unreasonable that people might decide not to bother