The Echuca Moama Family Medical Practice physician said apart from those people who qualified through underlying medical conditions, the majority of people would only now be approaching the six-month qualification period.
In order to qualify for a booster shot, people must wait at least six months since their most recent vaccine dose. The booster shots are not mandatory.
Australians aged 50 and over, residents of aged care and disability facilities, people with underlying medical conditions, Traditional Owners and people at increased occupational risk of COVID-19 all immediately quality for booster shots.
The booster program will roll out directly to people living in residential aged care facilities and people with a disability through an in-reach program.
Frontline workers are strongly encouraged to book in to get a booster dose, if six months has passed since their second dose.
“We haven’t done any (booster shots) here, outside of those who qualify through having low immune systems,” Dr Nesbitt said.
Dr Nesbitt said boosters, which were given the green light recently, were only common among people who were eligible.
He expected December to February to be the time frame that most people would qualify for the boosters.
“Because we got the vaccines late we are just coming up to the six-month mark now.
“People with active malignancy, who are current on chemotherapy, those who have had organ transplants, people who have had stem cell transplants, people with HIV or those on long-term dialysis are all having their third shots now.
“They need a third vaccine,” he said.
Dr Nesbitt said the Pfizer vaccine booster had been announced as the recommended option.
“We’ll be able to do the booster shots here. The hospital will be the same and I assume chemists will also have the boosters,” he said.
Dr Nesbitt said the “messy” roll-out of the vaccination program meant there was a major “timing disconnect” between different clinics, hospitals and chemists.
“The allocations of the vaccine were all over the place. I know the Rich River clinic had their vaccines weeks before us.
“Some practices will be ahead of others in regard to the booster program.”
Dr Nesbitt said people should have their booster six to eight months after their second COVID-19 vaccination.
“Immunity will wane about six to eight months after the second shot,” he said.
“Absolutely everyone should have one.”
Even with the booster shot, however, there is expected to be less immunity to COVID variants in the community; in fact, Dr Nesbitt said there was no doubt the Alpha and Delta variants of the virus would be followed by new variations.
He expects the COVID-19 booster shots to become very much like the influenza vaccination.
“I expect it to be the same as the flu shot,” he said.
The flu shot has an associated cost for most people, with those aged from six months to five years and the elderly qualifying for free shots.
“With COVID, and what has gone on, it will be up to the government to support it. I do not expect there to be a cost with the booster shots going forward,” he said.
Dr Nesbitt said it was not an urgent scenario, but when people hit the six-month mark (since their second vaccination shot) they should ring their clinic.
“I imagine clinics will run booster clinics. A lot of clinics may send reminders out.
“People should give their clinics a call some time in the next two months,” he said.
“Pfizer is recommended, with AstraZeneca only recommended if there is a reason they can’t have the Pfizer shot,” Dr Nesbitt said.
