Frustration with long waiting lists for the AstraZeneca vaccine in regional South Australia leads to a GP clinic reporting more abuse from people desperate for the jab.
In Victoria, aged care and disability workers are now being given priority access to walk-in COVID vaccine clinics in a five-day 'blitz'.
But over the border, just 11 kilometres away, staff at the Hawkins Medical Clinic in Mount Gambier are still grappling with an issue outside their control, with over 900 names on the waiting list.
"The phones have been running hot, we've got online bookings as well, with a lot of frustration from people reaching out asking to get the vaccines quickly and not understanding that we're limited by the supply that we were awarded," GP Scott Milan said.
"The primary health care network only allocates the vaccine numbers to us every two weeks. So we don't know, in advance of that, how many we're going to get.
Supply and demand shortfall
This 'nightmare' was far from ending with more than 7,000 people in Mount Gambier alone in the over-50 years "active category" who require the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The AstraZeneca jab has been provisionally approved by the Federal Government for people over 18 but is preferred for adults over 50 and those who are immunocompromised.
The recommendation was made due to the risk of severe COVID-19 disease outcomes for those groups.
Last week, regional South Australians over the age of 16 became eligible to receive the Pfizer jab.
According to Dr Milan, it has only heightened confusion from patients who are concerned about the region's proximity to Victoria.
"It's really increased their frustration as those younger people are at a lower risk of COVID complications," he said.
Limestone Coast Local Health Network chief executive Ngaire Buchanan said last week that a total of 529 vaccinations were delivered across the Local Health Network.
"Expanding the vaccine rollout to regional residents aged 16 years and above will help further protect ourselves," she said.
Staff plead for patience
Staff at the Hawkins clinic are undertaking COVID-19 vaccine triage and consultation on top of an already packed workday.
Some have even been the subject of abuse by angry residents desperate for the jab.
"We are trying, we're doing the best that we can," clinic manager Judith Williams said.
The Federal Member for Barker, Tony Pasin, has called for patience as the Commonwealth expedites the vaccine rollout for general practices Australia-wide.
"The rollout is accelerating … Now I can understand people are a little frustrated, I'm frustrated. I'd like to see this roll out much quicker," Mr Pasin said.
Mount Gambier MP Troy Bell said considering the 'serious investment' by South Australian medical clinics into the vaccines, public education on the rollout needs to be better.
"Information has been too slow to get out. The number of vaccines has been too slow to get out," Mount Gambier MP Troy Bell said.
"My office is continually inundated with people who are seeking answers."
