Forum –
As a cancer patient, along with thousands currently going through treatments, I have tried to find out which Coronavirus shot best suits my treatment of immunotherapy.
I have spoken with my GP, three specialists, Cancer Services, Wyong Vaccination Clinic, the Cancer Council and called both the NSW and Federal Covid Hotlines.
I have, through sheer frustration, called the office of NSW Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard, and he has had Lucy from the Vaccine Operations Centre Taskforce Division of the Department of Health contact me.
Yet the best I can get is that they do not offer individual advice and to speak with my GP, as it is up to me to make the appropriate decision.
Unfortunately, I have been speaking with my GP for over six months, as his clinic has been promised delivery of the vaccine three times now, without success.
I attended the Wyong Hospital hub after being directed by the Wyong Vaccine Clinic to speak with a specialist doctor.
I was directed through to triage, only to be told to go home and book an appointment, which was not the answer I was wanting or needed.
We have another epidemic of plague proportions which is killing people in much larger numbers with our authorities ignoring the plight of hundreds of people each day on the Coast alone, going through hell with cancer treatments and nobody has any real answer.
We are told we are a top priority by being of the age with underlying health issues, yet it does seem that the authorities simply want us to die or simply go away.
Over 250 Central Coast residents each day are going through radiation, chemo or immunotherapy in two only regional hospitals.
We had 1,142 acute paediatric asthma presentations (0-15) at Gosford and Wyong hospitals over a two year period (2019-2020), yet they and their parents are not getting the information required to make a safe decision whether to get vaccinated or not.
I am in favour of having the shots, yet with so much uncertainty, I am reluctant until I can be assured of which treatment suits my condition.
The findings of a recent bipartisan NSW Legislative Council Public Works Committee stated that NSW Health should immediately undertake an epidemiological assessment of the health of residents near coal ash dams.
It was also scathing of NSW Health and the NSW Environment Protection Authority to publicly comment that the NSW Government had a complete disregard towards the health of its citizens.
Email, June 28
Gary Blaschke OAM, Lake Munmorah