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HUNTER GPs "blindsided" by the Prime Minister's announcement that anyone under 40 can get the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine fear they could still be "thrown under the bus" should an adverse event occur after administering the vaccine.
It comes as NSW's Health's chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said on Wednesday that state-run vaccination clinics - including the mass vaccine hubs - would not change their protocol to administer AstraZeneca to under-40s.
Queensland's chief health officer, Dr Jeanette Young, also rejected Prime Minister Scott Morrison's suggestion.
Dr Allan Kirkpatrick, of Cardiff General Practice, said they'd had some inquiries from under-40s wanting the vaccine following the announcement, but they were already struggling to get through patients over-60.
"We are booked out for six weeks," he said.
"ScoMo going off with this sudden announcement probably hasn't made an ounce of difference to anything because everyone is at capacity anyhow."
We don't have time to write War and Peace for every encounter, so it's likely we would still end up under the bus.
Dr Allan Kirkpatrick, Cardiff General Practice
Dr Kirkpatrick said the Prime Minister's promise of indemnity to protect doctors in the event of a serious adverse outcome gave him little comfort given their notes would be scrutinised for evidence of informed consent.
"We don't have time to write War and Peace for every encounter, so it's likely we would still end up under the bus," he said.
Dr Kirkpatrick said they were "blindsided" by the news the rules for AstraZeneca were changing again.
"My practice manager's email to me after ScoMo's announcement was full of profanities," he said.
"I think his motivation was that he realises he can't get more people under 60 vaccinated because he hasn't got enough Pfizer. He is waiting on it and Moderna to come. He's at the hands of overseas companies, and he's got truckloads of AstraZeneca that no one wants, or that some people have the wobblies about."
On Tuesday the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president, Dr Karen Price, said that general practice "needs notice" when changes are made that impact on the ability of GPs to provide patients with up-to-date information.
She said some general practices were "understandably" not taking any bookings until they received official government advice.
"Other general practices are still basing their advice on the recommendation that people under 60 should wait to receive the Pfizer vaccine," she said.
"Unfortunately, this is not the first time this has happened to general practice. It occurred with the launch of the vaccine booking site and the multiple changes made to age eligibility for the AstraZeneca vaccine. It makes the job of GPs that much harder when we are trying to get as many of our patients vaccinated as quickly as we can.
"This is a significant alteration to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
"We have a mammoth task ahead of us and many GPs and staff are already feeling fatigued from facing the many difficulties encountered during this vaccine rollout."
NSW recorded 22 new COVID cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday.
There have been 171 locally acquired cases reported since June 16, 2021.
