- Nearly 70% of North Coast residents aged 15 years and over have had their second COVID-19 vaccination
- The North Coast region is heading toward fully vaccinated rates of 90%, with all Local Government Areas (LGAs) over 80% for first doses
- Community better prepared in advance of holiday travel season
North Coast communities from Port Macquarie to Tweed Heads are well on their way to seeing their freedoms open up as the region approaches the 70% double-vaccination benchmark.
‘It is fantastic to see how the North Coast community has responded, particularly in the past week,’ said Julie Sturgess, Chief Executive Officer of Healthy North Coast.
‘We saw an 8% increase in the rate of vaccinations for the COVID-19 second dose, which is the most significant jump in vaccination rates we have seen in one week.
‘Clearly, North Coast residents appreciate that being fully vaccinated is their passport to being able to move around and travel freely, while being protected from the worst of COVID. This means our community can connect again, support each other and support local businesses too.
‘The numbers for the first vaccination are even better, with almost 400,000 people (90% of those aged 15 years and over) having now received their first dose.
‘It’s so encouraging to see these numbers for first doses, as this should flow through to fully vaccinated rates of more than 90% for residents 15 years and over across the North Coast.
‘We have reached a great milestone and I want to sincerely thank everyone for coming forward to be vaccinated.
‘Thank you also to our wonderful primary health service providers – GPs, pharmacies, Aboriginal Medical Services and other frontline health providers – who have been responsible for delivering the vaccine. They have done, and continue to do, a superb job.
‘While we are still working hard to ensure that anyone 15 years and over can access the vaccination if they want to, it’s also time to start considering vaccination protection for our younger residents aged 12-14 years,’ said Ms Sturgess.
‘In the run-up to the school holidays and Christmas, I encourage anyone who is still unvaccinated to make an appointment for themselves or their family members as soon as they can, in advance of the region opening up to travellers once more,’ said Ms Sturgess.
To find a provider and book an appointment, access the online Vaccine Clinic Finder .