Perth nurse accused of giving teenager fake Covid vaccination
A Perth nurse accused of faking a Covid-19 vaccine jab to a teenager has been charged.
The 51-year-old registered nurse, who works at private medical centre in St James, was allegedly observed by a doctor on Sunday failing to administer a shot to a teen who she knows.
It is alleged the nurse inserted the needle into the teenager's arm but didn't push down on the plunger.
She then is accused of disposing the full syringe and making a false entry in the medical records system, which recorded that another medical centre staffer had administered the dose instead of herself.
The medical centre reported the alleged breach to WA Police and she was arrested at her Byford home before being charged.
She will face a Perth court later on Monday charged with one count of gaining benefit by fraud.
Western Australia trails behind Australia in vaccine rollout
WA is trailing behind the rest of the country when it comes to vaccination rates, with 66.8 per cent of the eligible population double dosed.
The state closely follows the Northern Territory, 66.94 per cent double dose rate, and Queensland on 67.4 per cent.
The ACT is leading the charge with more than 95 per cent of residents fully vaccinated. NSW and Victoria are not far behind with 89.9 and 84.6 per cent respectively.
Covid booster shots were formally rolled out to GPs and pharmacies across the country from Monday.
Those who have been fully immunised for more than six months will be able to receive the top-up Pfizer dose, regardless of which brand they were vaccinated with originally.
The third dose has already been made available for the immunocompromised as well as those in disability and aged care.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the booster program was off to a flying start.
"We are already at 173,000 people who have had their boosters," Mr Hunt told the Seven Network on Monday.
"GPs, state clinics, commonwealth clinics, Indigenous medical centres, aged care and disability have been vaccinating people with boosters, so it's a great start."
However, medical researchers are still examining whether a yearly COVID booster would be needed, like the flu shot, or if three doses would provide enough protection.
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