South Australian health authorities say they are stunned a person booked a COVID-19 vaccination appointment 40 times, blocking dozens of other people from receiving a dose.

Key points:

  • People are urged to cancel vaccine appointments to “avoid wastage”
  • Health official concerned people aged over 60 are choosing not to have their second AstraZeneca dose
  • Vaccine supplies on the Limestone Coast are expected to increase in coming weeks

It comes as regional health officials renew calls for people to turn up to vaccine appointments following a string of people not attending their allocated booking time.

Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN) executive director of medical services Elaine Pretorius said they were now investigating avenues to prevent people from booking multiple times.

“I’m not quite sure how that happens,” Dr Pretorius said.

“We are looking at somebody with a password just being able to book once.”

She said she was also “shocked” over the number of people not attending scheduled appointments, which was seeing vaccines “going to waste”.

“We’re desperate to avoid vaccine wastage. We’ve been very, very good with it up until now.”

LCLHN director of medical services Dr Elaine Pretorius at Mount Gambier Hospital.(

ABC South East SA: Isadora Bogle

)

Conceding the online booking system was “clunky” to navigate, she said it was important people cancelled their appointment if they could not attend.

“I think some people have taken up the opportunity of an earlier slot, but then haven’t cancelled their previous appointments,” Dr Pretorius said.

“The Department of Health is working very closely with the software developers. Hopefully, we’ll be able to make the appointment system a little bit more streamlined.”

AstraZeneca safe  

Dr Pretorius says the immune system is primed with the first dose, with the second dose giving a much better antibody response.(

ABC South East SA: Todd Lewis

)

Dr Pretorius also raised concerns about some people aged more than 60 choosing not to have their second AstraZeneca dose due to concerns over the safety of the vaccine.

“If you didn’t have a problem with AstraZeneca in the first place, just go and get your second dose,” she said.

“We use two doses. The reason for that is that we prime the immune system with the first dose to give the immune system some time to ramp up.

“With the second dose, that gives a much better antibody response.”

She said full vaccination was the only way that SA was going to get rid of restrictions and border closures.

Dr Pretorius said they were hopeful additional vaccine slots would become available in coming weeks as vaccine supply increased.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.

Are China’s vaccines effective?

Loading form…