Highlights
- Rideshare and taxi drivers refused Pfizer jab at Sydney Olympic Park after registering online with NSW Health
- Drivers offered AstraZeneca after reaching venue, staff deny eligibility as essential worker
- Rideshare and taxi drivers included for future but not eligible for Pfizer now: NSW Health
Imad-Ul-Islam Tariq, a taxi driver in Sydney, had booked his vaccine appointment online for 27 July a couple of months ago under the Taxi or Ride-Sharing category on the NSW Health website. When he went for his appointment, he claims he was refused the jab by staff at the vaccination centre.
He says this confusion is being commonly felt by many of his colleagues.
Imad approached the manager at the site but was given the same reason about his eligibility.
“When I said that I had registered for a Pfizer vaccine on their website as it had ‘Taxi or Ride-Sharing’ as an eligible category, they still refused and offered me AstraZeneca,” he told SBS Urdu.
Imad also said that he received confusing information from the staff at this vaccination centre.
“A couple of days ago, one of my friends got the Pfizer jab under the same category at the Sydney Olympic Park vaccination centre but I was refused.
“The staff told me varying stories. One person said that this wasn’t valid while another told me that I wasn’t an essential worker,” he said.
Imad was offered an AstraZeneca jab instead of Pfizer by the staff but he refused it.
NSW vaccination centre link which mentions rideshare/ taxi drivers are eligible for Pfizer jab. Source: NSW vaccination centre olympic park's website
“I am eligible for Pfizer and have waited two months for this appointment. I am not comfortable having the AstraZeneca jab. When I have followed the rules to book an appointment for Pfizer, why should I be refused,” he asked.
After cancelling his appointment, Imad said that he was sent the same link by NSW Health with which he had taken the appointment.
“Taxi-driving is a high-risk job and we cannot work while being unvaccinated during these hard times when the Delta variant is all around,” Imad said.
In response to a query from SBS Urdu, NSW Health said that rideshare and taxi drivers were included in the booking system for future planning purposes but are not eligible for Pfizer in this phase of the vaccine roll-out.
Media statement by NSW department of health regarding taxi drivers. Source: NSW Health
“It appears the taxi driver has used a booking link which was not given to him by NSW Health,” the department stated.
However, Imad insists that he has been sent the same link via SMS to register again.
NSW Health has not made any comment about the people who have already got the Pfizer jab under the 'Taxi or Ride-Sharing' category.
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