South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has defended the slow COVID-19 vaccine rollout during a visit to the state's South East today.
Federal government data reveals South Australia has only used 57 per cent of the 79,990 doses available in the state.
That figure is well below the national utilisation rate of 72 per cent.
Mr Marshall, who touched down in Mount Gambier this morning for a regional visit, said it was a "skewed picture".
"Our rate of vaccination is around the national average."
General practitioners have expressed frustrations about not having the vaccines despite being ready to deliver them to the community.
Mr Marshall said the state government did not want all GPs moving directly onto the vaccination program.
"We've got a series of doses that can be delivered to them either 50 per week, 100 per week, or for some of the large ones 400 per week.
"But we don't want the GPs having to essentially put all of their general practice work on hold — there would be some perverse health outcomes if that was the case."
Limestone Coast-based Labor MP Clare Scriven said she did not understand why there were unused vaccines.
"It is particularly negative for a cross-border community like ours which had a lot of issues at the height of the pandemic."
Health worker vaccinations on track
Elaine Pretorius, executive director of medical health services at the Limestone Coast Local Health Network, said the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine to health workers had not been interrupted.
"Public hospitals have only received Pfizer in the Limestone Coast, so we have been able to complete [phase] 1A and have commenced 1B and vaccinating like crazy at all our sites at the moment."
Dr Pretorius said the rollout to other cohorts in the Phase 1B category would begin in coming weeks.
"The challenge remains the access to the vaccines," she said.
"However, it is important that we do it safely."
Forestry industry focus
During his visit to the South East, Mr Marshall was to meet with stakeholders from the forestry industry.
"What we're seeing now is the private sector investment into the Green Triangle and I think that that's great.
"Obviously from our perspective, we're here to listen to suggestions that they've got, the things that we should be looking at."
Ms Scriven, Labor's forestry spokeswoman, said she would like to hear less words and see more action.
"It's a rare visit that he makes to the South East, so we really need to see some tangible outcomes, not just conversations."
