A doctor who incorrectly gave two elderly people in a Queensland aged care home a "higher than the recommended dose" of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine, did not complete the required vaccination training, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says.
The first 37 people in Wellington have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Hunt also said his updated advice was that the doctor had not been involved in vaccine roll-out at any other facilities. “I have, again, reaffirmed my apologies to the family and. I have asked the department to take action against the company and the doctor for what is a clear breach, on both fronts,” he said. People are meant to get two doses of the Pfizer vaccine three weeks apart, but Hunt earlier today said he’s been advised the doctor in question administered both doses of the vaccine consecutively.
Two Queensland aged care residents were given more than the prescribed dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Here is a look at how Australia's healthcare systems are designed to make sure that doesn't happen again.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has posted a Tweet calling for an early National Cabinet meeting after an incident where two aged care residents received four times the prescribed dose.
She tweeted, “today I will write to the Prime Minister asking him to convene National Cabinet as soon as possible”.
“I want to know what training is provided to the people the Federal Government is employing to administer the vaccines in our aged care facilities.”
The 88-year-old man and 94-year-old woman were administered the dose by a doctor who worked for Healthcare Australia, an organisation contracted by the federal government roll out the vaccine.
The doctor has been stood down from Australia’s coronavirus vaccine rollout program after giving the two patients the incorrect dose.
St Vincent’s Care Services CEO described the incident as “distressing” and said he wanted the doctor referred to the relevant regulatory powers.