Angry residents in regional NSW have had their Pfizer vaccine appointments cancelled as doses are redirected to Year 12 students in Sydney's Covid hotspots.
The NSW Government said 40,000 jabs would be diverted from rural areas to vaccinate students in the eight local councils in west and southwestern Sydney.
The measure is designed to help fast track the return to school for students in the Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Blacktown, Cumberland, Parramatta, Campbelltown, and Georges River councils as final exams loom.
But residents outside Sydney were outraged to learn the decision would come at the cost of their pre-booked vaccinations, with NSW Health sending out a message on Friday advising them of the need to reschedule.
'Pfizer vaccines are being redirected to assist in vaccinating Year 12 students in South Western and Western Sydney to help them return to face-to-face teaching,' the message said.
The NSW government last week announced 40,000 Pfizer doses would be rerouted from regional areas to Year 12 students in Sydney's eight LGAs of concern
'We will initially cancel your current booking but will send you a priority booking code in the coming days to enable you to rebook at a later date.'
Many subsequently flocked to social media to vent their anger at students getting the jab while other members from high-risk groups were yet to be inoculated.
'Sorry but Year 12 students taking Pfizer doses away from regional NSW?' one woman tweeted.
'My partner works in a hospital and can’t even get his Pfizer until September. What a joke.'
Another wrote: 'So Sydney Year 12 students will get Pfizer now but the elderly in nursing homes and most essential workers still have not been given either shots yet? Is this for real?'
David, a 30-year-old Year 12 teacher from Western Sydney, said it was ridiculous students were being offered the jab while it was not being extended to their teachers.
'I am not part of a current vaccination phase. I cannot book a Pfizer vaccination until October. This is ridiculous,' he wrote.
'If Pfizer is being prioritised for year 12 students, give it to teachers as well.'
NSW Health issued a message to regional residents on Friday (pictured) to advise their Pfizer appointments had been cancelled
Premier Gladys Berejiklian defended the decision during Sunday's press conference, and confirmed doses were rerouted from the Hunter region.
She argued it would not pose a risk to regional areas and vaccination was an important a tool in their battle against the highly infectious Delta strain within red zones.
'When you consider there are eight million people in NSW, and we have been able to stop the spread of the virus in our regions and other parts of Sydney,' she said.
'It is important for us to give those Year 12 students a chance to finish their exams and get rewarded.
'We know that we are finding younger people are getting the virus and spreading it. It is important particularly for younger people, people up to the 30s in particular, to get access to the vaccine as soon as possible.'
Two western NSW health districts - serving communities including Orange, Broken Hill, and Bourke - also confirmed those waiting for their first dose of Pfizer would have their bookings delayed for weeks.
Ms Berejiklian defended the decision on Sunday, arguing the vaccinations were vital to combatting the highly infectious Delta outbreak in Sydney
Sonya Thornberry said Orange, Blayney and Cabonne recently endured, and
