Albany marked as one of WA’s three “initial vaccine hubs” in Federal Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine Roadmap

A graphic released by the Federal Government today has Albany marked as an “initial vaccine hub” — one of three in WA.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced this morning that the rollout of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine had been brought forward to February.

The Federal Government graphic said locations would be confirmed pending advice from States and Territories.

It has Albany, Perth and Port Hedland marked as the three locations of WA’s first vaccine hubs.

The Advertiser asked the WA Health Department whether Albany would indeed become an “initial vaccine hub”.

Their response was as follows:

“Bilateral discussions are under way between the Western Australian and Commonwealth governments regarding the most suitable location/s for vaccination hubs in Western Australia,” the WA Health Department said.

Mr Morrison said the Federal Government aimed to have four million Australians vaccinated by the end of March.

The Pfizer vaccine — which requires two doses a month apart — will initially be made available through up to 50 specially-equipped "hubs" as it needs to be stored at minus-70C.

Once the AstraZeneca vaccine is approved, it will be made available through around 1000 sites including GP clinics and pharmacies.

The vaccine will be rolled out be in five phases, with quarantine and border workers, frontline healthcare workers, aged-care staff and residents and disability care workers and residents the first to get the jab.

The second group will be elderly people aged 70 and over, other healthcare workers, Aboriginal people over the age of 55, people with an underlying medical condition and critical workers including police and emergency services.