By Dominique Tassell
Recent vaccine clinics have seen almost 5000 locals get their jab in Warwick and Stanthorpe.
A Darling Downs Health (DDH) spokesperson thanked the people of the Southern Downs for their participation in last week’s Covid-19 vaccination clinic in Warwick.
The Warwick vaccine clinic, which ran from Tuesday 24 August to Saturday 28 August, provided more than 3400 people with their first doses of Pfizer vaccine.
There will be a follow-up clinic for dose two in three weeks’ time.
The Stanthorpe vaccine clinic, held from Tuesday 10 August to Friday 13 August, saw more than 1500 locals get their jab.
Government data shows the Southern Downs had a vaccination rate of 53.9 at the end of August, one of the highest in the state.
Clinics have also recently been held at Goondiwindi and Texas.
In total, Darling Downs Health has administered almost 50,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines at clinics this year.
A Darling Downs Health spokesperson encouraged locals who are still looking to get their jab to inquiry at Baillie Henderson Hospital.
“Our clinic at the Baillie Henderson Hospital campus in Toowoomba provides vaccines from 8.30am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday, and is consistently fully booked”.
DDH encourages anyone who wants to receive a COVID-19 vaccination to phone 134COVID or register online via www.vaccinebookings.health.qld.gov.au
The Pfizer vaccine is currently available to anyone aged 16-59 years old, however private clinics may be prioritising certain groups.
A new mass vaccination hub is set to open in Brisbane on September 8.
The new clinic, in Boondall on Brisbane’s north, will initially have 1500 bookings per day but will increase to 3000 a day.
Doses of the Moderna vaccine are expected to arrive by the end of September after it was approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on Monday 9 August.
As of Monday 30 August, 30.45 per cent of the Australian population is fully vaccinated.
The Federal Government initially stated they hoped to vaccinate 4 million people by March, with a final target of October.
Recent targets aim to have 80 per cent of Australia population, aged above 16, fully vaccinated by December.
Australia is ranked 34 out of 38 for vaccination rates in the OECD.
