‘The best thing’ Victorians can do to avoid future COVID-19 vaccine bottlenecks

Victorians who walk up to mass vaccination hubs or call to make an appointment for their first Pfizer jab are being told to wait.

The state government has paused new Pfizer doses while focusing on getting supplies to those receiving their second jab.

Victorian chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Dr Anita Muñoz, says the strategy makes sense.

“If a person has started with their vaccination program then they do need to get the second vaccine on time, otherwise we run the risk of a person going through the vaccine program and ending up with less effect from the vaccine than what we’re hoping to achieve,” she told Ross and Russel.

Dr Muñoz says supply is limited, and a surge in vaccine interest due to Victoria’s outbreak has led to the need to pause first doses of the Pfizer jab.

She says consistent demand for vaccines will stop further shortages which lead to the need to pause first doses of the vaccine.

“The best thing we can do as a nation is to be constantly using the vaccine program and not just waiting for a scare in our community or an outbreak to motivate us to get vaccinated because if we continue to do that we will have other bottlenecks occur,” she said.

Press PLAY below to hear more about Victoria’s vaccine supply