Australia-Changes to Pfizer vaccine rollout as two new COVID-19 cases recorded in Victoria

Ns News Online Desk: The Pfizer vaccine rollout has been stalled in Victoria amid supply issues, as the state records two new COVID-19 cases. The two latest coronavirus cases are children linked to known cases, with health officials today declaring “the system is working”.
The latest infections come as the Melbourne Showgrounds and Sunshine vaccination hubs today said they are no longer accepting bookings for Pfizer walk-ins.
Today Western Health issued a statement confirming no first Pfizer jabs would be administered.
Everyone who has already booked a first dose of Pfizer will receive their vaccine.”From June 14 2021 until further notice unfortunately you will not be able to book in to receive a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
“The only exceptions are: people who work for Hotel Quarantine, people who work for Tidewatch, high rise accommodation residents and staff, Red Zone airport and marine port staff, and those with travel exemptions.”
Any eligible Australians who have already received their first Pfizer shot will be able to get the second jab by appointment only.
Walk-ins and bookings for AstraZeneca will continue without change until further notice.There are now approximately 2000 active primary close contacts in Victoria, but Health Minister Martin Foley said that number was now in a “downward trajectory” and Melbourne is “on track” to ease more restrictions this week.
Both of the new cases are children who have been in quarantine during their infectious period, with one linked to the infected Reservoir household and the other a close contact of the City of Melbourne case announced over the weekend.
Nearly 17,000 people were tested yesterday following calls from health authorities for more people to come forward after a dip in numbers. Mr Foley today confirmed the City of Melbourne mystery case has been linked to the Arcare Maidstone aged care outbreak.
The positive case lives in the same Southbank townhouse complex as an infected Arcare Maidstone worker. The townhouse complex has just over 100 units, with all owners last night sent a text message, following the positive cases.
Residents of the complex have been told to isolate due to the potential transmission risk.
“Department of Health specialist nurses were on site this morning, working with the residents, and a pop-up testing facility was established near the facility to make sure that we could make it as easy as possible for people to get tested,” Mr Foley said.
The “working hypothesis” is that the Southbank man contracted the virus from the aged care worker at one of the shared facilities inside the building.
Mr Foley described the Southbank complex as “quite a large area with multiple entry points and car parks and other arrangements”. A few exposure sites from a small number of “internal facilities” have been identified inside the complex.