By Juliano Oliveira
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a Pfizer vaccination hub opening at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday (11).
The centre will be open seven days a week, from 8.30 am until 4.30 pm, and on weekends, focusing on people between 16 and 59 years old who must first register on the Queensland Health website. No walk-ins will be available.
“People on the Queensland Health list will be prioritised, but now we are opening up to anyone between the ages of 16 and 59,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“We want to see as many people in Queensland vaccinated as quickly and safely as possible.”
Queensland’s September supply of Pfizer vaccines has been brought forward to this month. The Premier said an extra 112,000 extra Pfizer doses would be delivered to Queensland.
Health minister Yvette D’Ath informed that Pfizer doses are set to arrive later this week.
“We’ll start on Wednesday with about 1,000 to 1,500 vaccines a day,” Ms D’Ath said.
“When we get the extra vaccine, due on Friday, we hope to be doing 3,000 a day by the weekend.”
The BCEC hub will deliver Pfizer vaccinations and second doses of AstraZeneca for those who have already had their first vaccination. Ms D’Ath said with the opening of the BCEC hub, the Princess Alexandra and Mater South Bank facilities would close.
Ms Palaszczuk informed AstraZeneca vaccines would not be delivered at the mass vaccine centre. Instead, AstraZeneca doses are being given in over 200 metropolitan community pharmacies in Queensland following the Commonwealth’s offer of 150,000 lots to the state.
Queensland is responsible for delivering around 30% of the state’s vaccinations, and the Federal Government is responsible for delivering 70%.