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SA vaccine program delayed after Pfizer doses mistakenly sent to Perth

Economy
19 March 2021 17:45 (AEDT)

South Australia’s vaccination program has been further delayed after a batch of Adelaide-bound Pfizer doses were mistakenly sent to Perth.

It’s not known exactly how many vaccines were included in the shipment, but some are thought to be second-round doses for residents of aged care facilities.

The ABC reported that these facilities involved in the Phase 1A rollout have now been told by the federal Department of Health that COVID-19 inoculations would not be happening today as scheduled.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said he did not “know anything about [the] shipment.”

“The logistics, the procurement, and the approval and distribution of the vaccines is the responsibility of the Federal Government,” Marshall added.

“We are doing work in terms of the administration of those doses. I don’t have any information on that particular shipment, but the good news is in South Australia we have access to both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca [vaccines].”

Transport and logistics company DHL currently holds a contract from the Federal Government for the storage and delivery of the Pfizer vaccines, which need to be stored below -70 degrees Celsius.

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