Covid-19: 'Battle' for man with stage 4 cancer to find out when he could get vaccine

17:05, May 06 2021
LAWRENCE SMITH/Stuff
Graeme Stanton, who has stage 4 prostate cancer, found it difficult to get a Covid-19 vaccination until Stuff became involved.

Unclear guidance around Covid-19 vaccination led to a south Auckland man with stage 4 cancer waiting months to hear when he could get jabbed.

Graeme Stanton, 64, has incurable prostate cancer and lives in Pokeno, in the Counties Manukau District Health Board area. His postcode and condition put him in group 2 of the Government’s vaccine schedule, which started in February.

Group 2 covers high-risk frontline workers and people living in high-risk places, including those in Counties Manukau who are at higher risk because they are 65 and older, disabled, pregnant or have a relevant underlying health condition.

Graeme Stanton stage 4 prostate cancer and is a high risk patient. He has found it difficult to obtain a Cover-19 vaccination until Stuff became involved.
LAWRENCE SMITH
Graeme Stanton stage 4 prostate cancer and is a high risk patient. He has found it difficult to obtain a Cover-19 vaccination until Stuff became involved.

But as of early May, Stanton had received no information about when he could get the vaccine. After probing from Stuff this week, Stanton received his first dose on Thursday.

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Graeme Stanton is considered in group 2 under the Government's vaccination schedule – who could access vaccines from February – but said it has been a “battle” to get information about his eligibility.
Supplied
Graeme Stanton is considered in group 2 under the Government's vaccination schedule – who could access vaccines from February – but said it has been a “battle” to get information about his eligibility.

Group 2 covers approximately 480,000 people.

People in Counties Manukau DHB at higher risk were prioritised if they were in “one or more” of the following: 65 and over, disabled, pregnant or with an underlying health condition, according to the Ministry of Health’s website.

But Stanton, who is actively undergoing treatment which compromises his immune system, said it had been a “battle” to get information about being vaccinated.

Vaccination for group 2 includes frontline health workers, people living in high risk locations such as residential care homes, and those in Counties Manukau who are at higher risk.
LAWRENCE SMITH/Stuff
Vaccination for group 2 includes frontline health workers, people living in high risk locations such as residential care homes, and those in Counties Manukau who are at higher risk.

When he contacted the vaccination helpline on April 12 – well into the group 2 vaccination roll-out – he was advised they were only taking bookings for border workers.

Healthline advised his GP must initiate the conversation, but the practice said they had no idea how to do this as it hadn’t received any information from the DHB. Stanton and wife Shirley also phoned the DHB and a Ministry of Health number to no avail.

A Northern Region Health Coordination Centre spokeswoman said it is trying to make it “as easy as possible” for people to be vaccinated at the appropriate time, “so we are sorry to hear this gentleman has had some challenges with the system”.

The NRHCC – which arranged for Stanton to be vaccinated – is currently vaccinating people in group 2, starting with older Māori and Pacific people in the northern region and everyone over the age of 65 in south Auckland.

Stanton waiting to receive his vaccine in Auckland on Thursday.
LAWRENCE SMITH
Stanton waiting to receive his vaccine in Auckland on Thursday.

“We will then move on to those with underlying health conditions, and will be working closely with GPs on this”.

The Ministry of Health did not directly answer questions on whether it was satisfied with the vaccination coverage among at-risk people in the CMDHB area, nor whether it deemed it acceptable that some priority groups had struggled to access vaccines.

A spokesperson said different DHBs are at different stages of the programme.

“Everyone in New Zealand will be offered the vaccine. There will be enough vaccine for the entire population to be vaccinated and no-one will miss out.”

Meanwhile, it remains unclear when people with wider health conditions and disabilities can get vaccinated – set to roll-out to group 3 from May.

Claire Freeman is tetraplegic following a car accident. She says her lungs are “completely paralysed” making her vulnerable to coughs, colds and Covid-19. She wants to know when people with similar disabilities will be able to access the vaccine.
George Heard/Stuff
Claire Freeman is tetraplegic following a car accident. She says her lungs are “completely paralysed” making her vulnerable to coughs, colds and Covid-19. She wants to know when people with similar disabilities will be able to access the vaccine.

Christchurch resident Claire Freeman, who is tetraplegic, phoned her GP last week to ask when she would be able to get jabbed and was told May was “looking unlikely”.

Freeman’s lungs are “completely paralysed”, so coughing if she gets a cold or flu is “impossible”.

“The Covid virus would love my body and I fear my chance of survival [if she caught Covid-19] would not be great.”

Freeman said Kiwis with disabilities are becoming increasingly worried about their safety as Covid-19 rages overseas.

She wants to see “vulnerable” New Zealanders, at risk of dying if they contract Covid-19, “high up on the list” and “definitely know” when they can be vaccinated.