Goya Dmytryshchak
A Laverton Commonwealth Vaccination Clinic this week started administering second doses of Pfizer.
Cohealth at Laverton Community Hub was one of four CVCs in Victoria administering Pfizer, as well as AstraZeneca, as at June 8, the Department of Health said.
Cohealth medical assistant director Ashley Nind said the clinic started administering Pfizer on May 19.
“Initially, we were given a certain allocation of doses,“ he said.
“We were given 120 doses a week to start with … because when we started the Therapeutic Goods Administration guidance was that it could only be kept thawed.
“Pfizer’s normally kept at an ultra-cool temperature and then there’s a period of time when it can be kept in a normal temperature.
“We actually receive it at a refrigerated temperature, so we keep it at between two to eight degrees.
“The TGA guidance when we started was that the Pfizer could only be kept at that thawed temperature or that normal fridge temperature for five days.
“TGA have updated their guidance on the storage of Pfizer and it can now be kept at 31 days at that thawed temperature.
“It increases our capacity to receive more doses.“
Mr Nind said there was currently a two-week wait for Pfizer vaccination appointments, with the clinic operating seven days a week and specifically for Pfizer on weekends.
The Department of Health said it was working to expand the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines by giving CVCs access to Pfizer following revised guidelines from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.
“The department is taking a steady roll-out approach given limited supply, dual vaccine delivery model, vaccine complexities and will be increasing the number of CVCs administering Pfizer in addition to AstraZeneca over the coming months,“ a spokesperson said.
