The federal government has failed to answer key questions around how the coronavirus vaccine will be rolled out in the rural areas of the Murrumbidgee Local Health District.
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On Sunday, it was announced that the federal government is promising a supply of two million Pfizer doses each week from the start of October.
Health Minister Greg Hunt spoke to media, saying that the government expected 4.5 million doses to arrive by the end of June. This would increase to seven million in the third and fourth quarters of the year.
During a press conference on Monday, Len Bruce, executive director of MLHD's medical services, announced that people aged 40 to 49 were eligible to get the Pfizer vaccine.
However, they could only do so from the hubs at Wagga or Griffith.
Riverina GP Alam Yoosuff said it was great news that supplies would be coming in, but questioned how residents in his area would get the shot.
The Finley-based doctor is also the director of primary health for the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, but spoke in his capacity as a GP.
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"It's a good thing that it looks like we have been promised a lot more than what we anticipated we would get by the end of this year," Dr Yoosuff said.
"My concern is how much rural and remote context has been thought about?"
Dr Yoosuff emphasised that what works in Sydney, Melbourne, or even Wagga would not work in Deniliquin, Finley or Corowa.
He questioned whether there was a plan to ensure that an everyday person can access a vaccine.
"It's not very clear. That's the worrying part for me," Dr Yoosuff said.
"Will it be accessible after working hours? Will it be accessible on weekends? And, how will this Pfizer vaccine be accessible via general practice?"
Dr Yoosuff said if the government wants to see more people sign up to get the vaccine, there needs to be transparency around how it will be rolled out.
He added that the country started an aged care vaccination program at the end of February in Sydney and Melbourne, but it was only last week that Finley aged care residents got vaccinated.
"One of the main categories we thought would be done and dusted within three to six weeks, it took about three-and-a-half months before it got to us," Dr Yoosuff said.
"We can have a hub in Wagga, but that doesn't mean [people in] Lake Cargelligo can get to it.
"It's not impossible though. In Finley, if I draw blood that gets transported to Melbourne by 2pm I get results. That very similar mechanism, if we learn how it works in rural and remote areas, we can deploy a similar mechanism in the vaccine rollout."
On Monday, The Daily Advertiser put questions to the Department of Health about the concerns raised, and a response came through late Wednesday night.
"All practices participating in the roll-out will be listed on the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder, which enables people to find their local vaccination clinics," it said.
"The Clinic Finder currently shows there are at least 20 practices participating in the Riverina area.
"As the rollout continues, a key part will be the support from the Royal Flying Doctor Service who can assist with vaccine administration including workforce and logistics under agreement between the RFDS and the Commonwealth.
"More than 95 per cent of residential aged care facilities have received a first dose clinic across Australia.
"The Finley Regional Care residential aged care facility is scheduled to receive its second dose COVID-19 vaccination clinic for residents in the week commencing June 7, 2021.
"As at May 26, 2021, COVID-19 vaccination clinics have been delivered to over 50 residential aged care services in remote and very remote regions across Australia, as part of the Commonwealth's in-reach vaccination program."
There were no answers to the question whether residents in the region will be required to travel to hubs to get the vaccines and if so, will there be measures to provide for after-hours availability to allow for this.
There was also no response to the comment made by the GP that the government has not acknowledged that the vaccine rollout is the same in metro areas as it is in rural and remote areas.
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