![\"Metro](\"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/extranet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/04\/mn-health-incident-controller2.jpg\" "\\"Metro")
<\/span><\/div>09 April 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n Dear colleagues,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Last\u00a0night the Prime Minister, Health\u00a0Minister and Australian Chief Medical Officer announced changes to\u00a0the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination program. This was based on advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on\u00a0Immunisation\u00a0(ATAGI) following a small number of unusual thrombosis cases following the AstraZeneca vaccine.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span> Our Metro North vaccination services remain open as planned for adults aged 50 or more who wish to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span> I acknowledge that there are many\u00a0staff\u00a0aged 50 and under\u00a0across Metro North Health\u00a0who\u00a0have already received their first dose\u00a0of the AstraZeneca vaccine\u00a0and may be\u00a0anxious\u00a0about\u00a0its effects.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The\u00a0AstraZeneca\u00a0vaccine\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n If you have safely had your first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccination,\u00a0it is very\u00a0safe\u00a0for you\u00a0to receive your second dose of the vaccine,\u00a0including adults under 50.\u00a0This should be delivered approximately 12 weeks after your first dose.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ATAGI still strongly recommends that people\u00a0over 50\u00a0still receive their first dose\u00a0AstraZeneca vaccine.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The incidence of\u00a0thrombosis (clotting) with thrombocytopenia (low blood platelet count) following the\u00a0AstraZeneca\u00a0vaccine is around one in 500,000.\u00a0This number may sound scary,\u00a0but the chance of this occurring is very rare.\u00a0In the United Kingdom,\u00a079 people out of 20.1 million people who have been vaccinated have\u00a0experienced thrombosis following the AstraZeneca vaccine.\u00a0To compare\u00a0this to something that\u00a0could affect any of us, your chance of\u00a0being bitten by a snake is approximately 15\u00a0in\u00a0500,000\u00a0(Fast fact: I\u2019m not\u00a0really fond\u00a0of snakes).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The signs or symptoms\u00a0to look out for\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Unlike common COVID-19 vaccine side effects which have an onset within the first 24 hours and last 1-2 days, the onset of the reported rare clotting disorder\u00a0is\u00a0between 4 to 20 days after vaccination.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u00a0experience any new, severe, persistent headache or other significant symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, with onset 4-20 days post vaccination,\u00a0you\u00a0should seek immediate emergency treatment flagging\u00a0you\u00a0have received the AstraZeneca vaccine.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST)\u00a0may present as:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n New guidelines for vaccinations\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Understandably,\u00a0a lot of people\u00a0under 50\u00a0may now be wondering if and how they can receive the Pfizer vaccine\u00a0as an option in lieu\u00a0of the AstraZeneca vaccine.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In\u00a0line with new ATAGI advice, the following principles\u00a0have been agreed on to support our vaccination programs:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our Pfizer vaccination clinic will continue to provide vaccinations to\u00a0people who have appointments, primarily from group 1a.\u00a0Appointments for the first dose of Pfizer vaccinations will be\u00a0honoured\u00a0regardless of age,\u00a0and second doses of Pfizer will continue to be\u00a0honoured\u00a0for those who have already received their first dose.\u00a0However,\u00a0people who present to our Pfizer vaccination clinic and do not have an appointment will not receive a vaccination.\u00a0Priority workers who work on COVID wards or in hotel quarantine will continue to be eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccination regardless of age.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span> I appreciate that whilst we wait for further information, this may be\u00a0an\u00a0anxious time for many people across the health service, so I thank you for your patience and kindness as we work through this together.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As always, we will keep you updated as more information becomes available.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dr Liz Rushbrook Metro North HHS \u2013 overview of cases*<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Virtual Ward \/ HITH \/ or similar<\/strong><\/td>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Deaths<\/strong><\/p>\n **<\/strong><\/td>\n Total cases managed by HHS (including recovered)<\/strong><\/p>\n ***<\/strong><\/td>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n #<\/strong><\/p>\n of clinics<\/strong><\/td>\n Presentations<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n ICU-NOT Ventilated<\/strong><\/td>\n ICU-Ventilated<\/strong><\/td>\n TOTAL^<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n *With effect 09 April 2021, 1000
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\nMetro\u00a0North\u00a0Incident\u00a0Controller<\/p>\n\n\n
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\nHHS<\/strong><\/td>\nPatients being managed by HHS<\/strong><\/td>\n FEVER Clinics<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Total\u00a0In-patients<\/strong><\/td>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n <\/td>\n ICU Pts<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Last 24 hrs<\/strong><\/td>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n \u202f\u202fMN TOTAL<\/td>\n 32<\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n 3<\/td>\n 535<\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n 418<\/td>\n 166,030<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n<\/span>**Metro North has three\u00a0recorded deaths\u00a0(one person a return traveller into NSW, who passed away in NSW)
\n<\/span>*** These numbers reflect the cases being managed by Metro North.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>