The Morrison Government must fast-track delivery of vaccines for children aged 5-11 so they can be protected from Omicron before school goes back.
I am hearing from parents who are worried sick about their children not being protected.
And I am hearing from doctors’ surgeries who are desperate for more vaccines but are being told there are no more available.
They say they just don’t have enough vaccines for the children on their books.
One doctor in Abermain said they had received their first allocation of 100 doses to last for two weeks, but that was not enough to cover the children in the community.
The doctor said she feared most kids would not have their first dose before school returns.
She has contacted the Primary Health Network and the Public Health Unit to beg for more vaccines, but without any success.
Another doctor in Nelson Bay had only received 50 doses for 5-11-year-olds, which she said was “nowhere near enough” to give each child a dose before school starts.
The doctor said they had been told there were no supply issues, but despite begging the Primary Health Network and CVAS (Covid19 Vaccines Administration System) they could not get any more allocated to them.
The doctors say they have massive demand from parents who want their children vaccinated before school, but they can’t deliver.
It is not good enough that children are vaccinated the day before school goes back – they need some time for the vaccine to kick in.
Doctors are desperate for an immediate increase in vaccine allocations for kids.
They say they have the demand and the capacity, but just do not have the vaccines.
The situation has been made worse because there are no walk-ins at the Belmont hub for children 5-11, and there are no appointments left till the end of January.
I call on Scott Morrison to deliver children’s vaccines to doctors’ surgeries immediately so children can be protected before they return to school.
Having had Covid 19 myself, I certainly do not wish it on any child.
This Government must do more to protect children.
