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'I cried and cried': Breast cancer survivor hit with vaccine diversion

When the constant refrain from the government is "vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate", having your appointment for the jab cancelled can be crushing.

Jules Dos Santos knows this all too well.

The 41-year-old single mum was one of thousands over the weekend in the NSW Central Coast and Hunter regions who received a text message from NSW Health telling them they had been affected by Pfizer doses being redirected to Year 12 students in Sydney.

READ MORE: Year 12 return to school 'premature', NSW Teachers Federation says

Jules Dos Santos was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2016.

A stage three breast cancer survivor, Ms Dos Santos is immunocompromised and said she had been pinning her hopes on having the Pfizer vaccination, rather than the AstraZeneca, because of her medical history and also the mixed messaging around the vaccine.

"Up until a few weeks ago, all the health advice was that Pfizer is the preferred vaccine for under 50s," she said.

"I've been through a really aggressive chemotherapy regime, I have had radiation and six surgeries."

"Thankfully I'm in remission now, but I've since had allergic reactions to a few common drugs like codeine and penicillin, so I didn't want to take the risk with AstraZeneca," she said.

Ms Dos Santos booked in her vaccination appointment at Gosford Hospital in June but said she is now unable to get a new appointment until November.

"I am not one to complain like this but it really upset me. I cried and cried," she said.

"That was my vaccine.

"I get how important the HSC is for the Year 12 students, but why are they more important than me and for me to be healthy and safe so I can look after my five-year-old daughter."

Jules Do Santos, pictured with her daughter, is now in remission from breast cancer.

Ms Dos Santos said she understood the need to prioritise Sydney hotspots but was concerned diverting vaccines could leave other areas like the Central Coast and Newcastle exposed.

"They are extinguishing one fire but then potentially compromising another community," she said.

Her comments came before Premier Gladys Berejiklian said at today's press conference she is deeply concerned about the detection of coronavirus in sewage in the Hunter region and Newcastle area.

"The sewerage detected high viral load which suggests there could be undetected cases up around the Newcastle area so we are really keep to have people come forward to get tested," Ms Berejiklian said.

As announced by Ms Berejiklian last week, Year 12 students will go back to the classrooms in two weeks' time.

The 20,000 HSC students from hotspot local government areas in south-west and western Sydney are being offered a Pfizer vaccination in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19 in schools as a result of the move.

The Pfizer doses for Year 12 students are coming from diverted stocks in regional NSW, with mass vaccination hubs at Belmont in Newcastle and Gosford Hospital on the Central Coast being affected.

Sydneysiders, including teachers, who booked a vaccination appointment outside of Sydney because it was the first available, have also been hit with cancelled appointments.

One Sydney teacher, who teaches HSC students, had her Pfizer vaccination at the Belmont hub cancelled.

The teacher is 39 years old and has a history of blood clots, making the Pfizer vaccine the only one she can safely have.

"My wife is a Year 12 teacher, so now she may not be able to go to school to teach her students as she is unvaccinated and many of her students live in one of the hotspot areas," the teacher's husband told nine.com.au.

"I think this is a ridiculous and immoral decision. I am sure there are many other teachers in this position.

"The question that needs to be asked is why aren't teachers of year 12 in all LGA's being given the vaccine?"

NSW Year 12 students will return to the classrooms in two weeks' time.

NSW Health said in a statement those in regional areas who fall into the 1A and 1B categories of the vaccine rollout – which include frontline health staff, quarantine workers and those in aged and disability care – have not had their vaccinations cancelled.

"GPs continue to supply Pfizer vaccinations in regional NSW, and their supplies from the Federal Government are unaffected by this reallocation. AstraZeneca remains available from GPs, NSW Health clinics and a growing number of pharmacies," NSW Health said.

Contact reporter Emily McPherson at em********@******om.au.