Albany Creek has been included among the first 41 locations in Queensland that will carry out Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine program commencing on the week of 21 February 2021.
Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt announced the start of the rollout of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, with priority for aged and disability care residents, as well as the facility workers.
There are over 240 aged and disability care facilities across the country and the Federal Government expects to vaccinate all residents and care workers in the next six weeks.
Mr Hunt confirmed that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines have arrived following approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Supplies of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines, on the other hand, are expected to be in Australia by March.
“These are two outstanding vaccines that will be available to people in Australia free of charge,” Mr Hunt said.
“The vaccination program will save and protect lives. Both of our vaccines will prevent serious illness. That is our primary goal.”
Along with the initial rollout, Queensland will activate three vaccine hubs at the Gold Coast University Hospital, Cairns Hospital and the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Woolloongabba.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that 100 vaccines will be given to Gold Coast by Monday, 22 Feb 2021, whilst Princess Alexandra Hospital will receive the vaccines on Wednesday and Cairns will get the vials on Friday.
Ms Palaszczuk also said that rollout will start slowly and individuals will be asked to go to their specific centres. As the next supplies arrive, the hubs will be expanded.
The COVID vaccine will start to roll out in Queensland from next week.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) February 17, 2021
Here’s how it will work 👇 pic.twitter.com/Nkbh4OVG1t
Meanwhile, border, quarantine and frontline healthcare workers are also part of the first rollout. Health Department head Brendan Murphy said that the vaccination program is expected to be the “single-biggest, and most complex, vaccination task” with many players involved.
Check the full list of vaccination locations for the first rollout via the Department of Health.
