The new mum was set to get her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, only to be denied entry because of her seven-week-old baby.
A Sydney mum was turned away from her first dose of the Pfizer jab because she had brought her seven-week-old baby with her.
Eleanor Hillard said she had phoned a NSW Health helpline to see if she could bring her daughter Maeve with her to the appointment on Wednesday.
But when she arrived at Qudos Bank Arena at Sydney Olympic Park, after travelling from the southern Sydney suburb of Como, Ms Hillard was denied entry to the vaccination centre.
“It was almost like a bouncer at a pub situation. They sort of said to me, ‘Why are you coming in with a baby?’” she told 10 News First.
“Quite unempathetic I would say.”
She told The Daily Telegraph the reason she was given for the refusal was that health workers “didn’t want to be liable” for her baby if something happened to Ms Hillard when she received her vaccine.
Ms Hillard claims she was then told she could leave Maeve outside with a stranger so she could get her vaccine.
“Frankly I think that’s very high risk given the situation at the moment with Covid,” she told Ten.
“I don’t know that lady, I don’t know where she is from.”
NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant was asked about Ms Hillard’s situation at yesterday’s press conference and said she would “follow that up and look at safe procedures”.
“Obviously there’s issues – we need to make sure that patients are safe,” Dr Chant said.
Information provided by Sydney Local Health District about Qudos Bank Arena states that “only people booked in to receive a Covid-19 vaccine can enter the Vaccination Centre”.
“This means that no children, including babies, will be allowed to accompany their parents receiving a vaccination.”
However some vaccine centres do allow parents to bring children with them for appointments.
It comes as medical experts called on more pregnant women and new mums to take up the vaccine.
Liverpool Hospital birthing unit director Gauthami Bhagwanani told reporters at Wednesday’s NSW Health briefing that pregnant women who contracted coronavirus had double the risk of stillbirth.
“I am here today to encourage all women who are planning pregnancy, who are currently pregnant and those who are breastfeeding to please get their Covid vaccines,” she said, according to the ABC.
“Currently the two vaccines recommended for pregnant women are those from Pfizer, which is already available, and the one from Moderna, which will be available soon.
“Outside of pregnancy, all of the vaccines are safe and this includes AstraZeneca and you can have this if you planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding.”
For all the latest lifestyle News Click Here
