Queensland slowest in Australia to administer COVID-19 vaccine

Queensland health authorities have defended the state's seemingly slow rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine after suggestions they are lagging behind other states and territories.

While health officials took delivery of 9,360 Pfizer doses in the first week, they have only managed to administer 22 per cent of that supply.

Since the rollout began, NSW has distributed 74 per cent of its total stockpile, while 62 per cent of vaccines have been administered in WA.

READ MORE: 300,000 doses of COVID vaccines to roll out in next 10 days

READ MORE: New Russian strain detected in Queensland 'increasing in frequency'

Tasmania's entire stock of the vaccine so far has been administered while SA has delivered 35 per cent and Victoria has seen 30 per cent of their vaccines reaching the public.

But Queensland authorities are standing by taking a "steady as she goes" approach.

"Whether you get an extra hundred or two in that first few weeks, that's less important than getting it right, making it safe," Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.

The government says it's not a race to vaccinate, but the response to the hotel Mercure has been rapid, as fears grow about a potential super-spreader that stayed here.

READ MORE: All the different strains of coronavirus explained

He's responsible for infecting one person on a flight and possibly another in hotel quarantine.

Authorities now want eight people who finished their hotel quarantine at the Mercure between the 18th and 21st of February to get themselves tested again and isolate.