'Just can't': Woman refused AstraZeneca vaccine after Medicare dispute with GP
A Sydney woman says she was refused the AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab by her GP simply because she didn't have Medicare.
While the federal and NSW governments have called on under 40s to seek out the heavily-scrutinised AstraZeneca jab, Louise Bell says when she did so, she was knocked back.
The Glebe resident in her mid-30s believes it is another example of how accessing the jab is not as simple as NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian makes out.
Ms Bell visited her inner-city GP after learning of Prime Minister Scott Morrison's impromptu decision to call on those under 40 interested in the AstraZeneca to speak to their GPs about it despite the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI)'s advice at the time for those under 60s not to have the jab.
Having agreed to take the AstraZeneca jab it was only until her GP discovered she did not have Medicare that she was told she could not have the vaccine.
"They said we can't vaccinate you and I asked if there is any way as I'm here, I have an appointment and I have private healthcare," she told Yahoo News Australia.
She said she even tried to pay for the jab but the GP was insistent and said they "just can't" administer it.
While being eligible for Medicare as a British passport holder, Ms Bell says she has struggled to sign up for the healthcare scheme after being a resident of Hong Kong prior to arriving in Australia.
She said accessing the jab had become an unnecessary ordeal and particularly infuriating as she had been so willing to get the AZ jab.
She also said such incidences only added to the stigma of the vaccine which has suffered a catastrophic fall in public confidence following the emergence of a rare blood clotting side-effect.
"It's just fuelling the fear-mongering around AstraZeneca," Ms Bell said.
Ms Berejiklian has set an ambitious target of six million jabs by the end of August, and has put responsibility on the under 40s as a key demographic to help achieve her target.
Yet with Pfizer still the preferred vaccine among many young people, and a lack of clarity on what is available to them, there is a growing sense of discontent over what is being asked of them.
Epitomising the confusion, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard struggled this week to offer a simple yes or no when asked if young people should hold out for the Pfizer jab.
The Department of Health confirmed to Yahoo News Australia those without Medicare are able to come forward for a jab free of charge and can do so at Commonwealth and state and territory clinics and pharmacies.
Yet for GPs, the department confirmed the Covid-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme is still being finalised following Mr Morrison's June 28 AZ announcement.
Hesitancy among GPs without concrete indemnity scheme
Australian Medical Association (AMA) President Omar Khorshid said there was "no doubt" that without such a scheme that would reduce the financial risk to them and their insurers, GPs would remain hesitant in administering the AZ jab.
"Right now, if a GP was found to be negligent in the way they had delivered the vaccine and that had contributed to the harm, then the GP would be liable for the payout and that would be covered by the GP's insurance," Dr Khorshid told the ABC.
"It requires the injured party to prove the doctor was actually negligent, not just prove they've been injured.
"That's quite a high bar, it's a traumatic process both for the patient and doctor to go through and it's the last thing we need when we're trying to get the population vaccinated and move on from this process."
The Department of Heath told Yahoo News Australia once the indemnity scheme is finalised, it will be backdated to the beginning of the vaccine rollout.
Since being knocked back, Ms Bell has visited a clinic where she was able to receive the AstraZeneca jab.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
