A significant number of frontline doctors in country Australia have missed out on the Pfizer vaccine, with many ED staff still not vaccinated against coronavirus, says the Rural Doctors Association of Australia.

Doctors should have received the Pfizer vaccine weeks ago as part of phase 1A of the rollout, but many are still waiting for AstraZeneca shots as part of phase 1B, claims RDAA president Dr John Hall.

“Rural clinicians are used to being left behind, being an afterthought,” Dr Hall says, adding that he blames state governments for the delays. 

Some “dropped the ball” on getting Pfizer to rural clinicians, while others made a conscious decision to wait for phase 1B.