Robert*, a manager of a handful of inner-Sydney nursing homes who spoke to Crikey under the condition of anonymity, had finally had enough.
He was meeting with yet another person outside the sector who mentioned they had just had their COVID-19 vaccination — and yet not one of his hundreds of residents or workers had received anything.
He also couldn’t he get any word from the government on when they were likely to get their jab.
“I’m just so angry,” he said.
He didn’t begrudge anyone receiving their vaccination, but he had been under the impression the aged care sector would be the priority.
“It’s not that we have not seen enough vaccines in our case. We have had absolutely none. Also we are not being given any indication as to when we might get anything. Nothing.”
I was speaking to Robert about his plight yesterday, just as the issue exploded publicly.
Earlier this week Scott Morrison tried to blame the states for the slow vaccine rollout, prompting a fierce backlash from the Queensland and NSW premiers. Gladys Berejiklian openly accused the PM’s office of deliberately leaking misleading figures.
“I will not have untrue statements made publicly about what is a complex system,” she said, before backing it up with a furious letter to the PM himself.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said he had never been “angrier” since fighting the virus.
“I think the federal government should be offering apologies to not only our government but other governments around the country,” Hazzard said.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt was forced to put out a press release later in the day clarifying the situation in Commonwealth-funded aged care homes, but even that bit of spin backfired.
The press release boasted: “To date, over 99,000 vaccines have been delivered to aged care and disability facilities. Aged care residents have been vaccinated in 848 residential aged care and disability facilities, with 279 of those facilities having received a second dose.”
The problem? That’s only one third of the total number of total facilities.
This is why Robert is so angry at the federal government’s inaction. Half his homes are in inner-city Sydney, in a high-density, low economic, culturally diverse area.
“Our staff travel in by public transport so they are vulnerable,” he said, adding that there is also the problem of numerous visitors coming through the facilities.
He is also worried about the number of patients who were already saying they would not be vaccinated. And that problem is only being exacerbated as the days go on.
“This delay only makes it worse,” he said. “The residents are getting anxious and saying things like ‘bugger them’ [the government] — they obviously don’t know what they are doing.
“They are losing confidence.”
He pointed out that it will take time and preparation to organise for the 400 residents to get vaccinated, yet they are getting no warning.
“You can’t just do this with 24 hours notice, yet nobody can tell us when it is happening.”
Initially they were told the government would provide nurses to do the injections, but he now believes his own staff might have to do it instead. While they are fully trained to do so, it is yet another issue that will have to be organised with little notice.
This is just one story, but it’s clear Robert’s is not an isolated case.
A nationwide vaccine rollout was always going to be challenging. Some hiccups were to be expected. But the government could help itself with less spin, more action.
As with everything.
*Name changed for anonymity.
Received the following message from a mate (retired doctor over 70) in Qld this week:
“On other matters, I have an appointment for AZ vaccine #1 on April 6th. That means #2 end of June, and will head back mid July.
Would have preferred Pfizer vaccine, but having visited both hub hospitals here where it is supposedly being given to phase 1A, and seeing chaos, have abandoned that plan.
Information Office at Princess Alex Hospital: “Well we don’t know if there is any vaccine here. None of us staff have been vaccinated. Go and see your GP”.
This is the hospital where a female doctor got infected a week back due to not being vaccinated, and not having proper PPE! And this is after a year. Hopeless.
“This is the hospital where a female doctor got infected a week back due to not being vaccinated, and not having proper PPE! And this is after a year”
Strange that. Especially in consideration that none of the vaccines will ever prevent anyone from contracting Covid. Go to the vaccine websites and read it for yourself.
Welcome to Morrison’s world. Great having such a CoMpeTeNt leader during a national emergency……..
And, Colbeck continues to take his full pay cheque even though he has now failed aged care not once but twice. The man is a disgrace and any decent person would have stepped aside by now and asked for forgiveness. But not this creature.
This mob can’t even spin without wobble. What can they do right?
The vaccine schemozzle is just in time to push rape news under the carpet. If it weren’t for the vaccine, they’d have to invent something else. Slagging off at the States yesterday was so obviously a put up job to create a Big Story. And it’s working a treat. Well done to the PM’s PR team!
Today when I saw my doctor for my usual visit I asked about getting the covid jab there (a place where I trust my doctor and all the staff) he said the little amount they were given is gone and they don’t expect any more until mid May (though that’s a guess, not a definite). I tried to put my name on the list at reception but it was already full, harrassing them every day is not on.
Anyway, I managed to get in for my Flu jab, late next week – the last one for now because they have no idea when the next lot will come through. And they are sick of the spin from this faux government, too.