With the announcement that Queensland COVID-19 restrictions are easing further from 1am Thursday 14 April, the Wide Bay Hospital Health Service is scaling back the availability of vaccination clinics.
In just over 12 months, more than 99 per cent of Wide Bay residents have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and more than 96 per cent have received their second dose (aged 12+).
With most of the regional population vaccinated, Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service will progressively wind down its vaccination centres over the coming months.
WBHHS COVID-19 Vaccination Lead Fiona Sewell said the high vaccination rates and the decrease in demand meant it was time to transition to a new ‘business as usual’, which would enable WBHHS to direct resources to where they were needed most.
“The community will soon start to see our three main vaccination clinics in Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Maryborough reduce their operating hours,” Ms Sewell said.
“From Tuesday, 19 April, our Bundaberg and Hervey Bay TAFE clinics will move to operate two days each week and our Maryborough City Hall clinic will operate one day a week.
“Our COVID-19 vax van, which has been consistently on the road for the past year, will also wrap up its regular visits to our rural communities on 14 April, with future outreach clinics to be held, as needed.”
“Free COVID-19 vaccines and boosters will also remain available through participating GPs and pharmacies.”
Ms Sewell said WBHHS clinics would also close over Easter (15-18 April) but in the meantime, there were still plenty of opportunities for the community to get vaccinated or receive their booster.
“Our three main clinics will remain open Tuesday to Saturday, between now and Good Friday, and our vax van will be out and about until 14 April,” she said.
“If you need your first, second or booster dose, I encourage you to come forward now to receive your jab before we start to wind down our services.
“We will also communicate any COVID-19 vaccine pop-up and outreach opportunities across the region on our Facebook page in the coming weeks.
“From 1 April, high-risk people can also have a second COVID-19 vaccine booster dose if it has been more than four months since their first COVID-19 booster dose.
“While our WBHHS clinics can provide this second COVID-19 booster to eligible people, you also have the option of having your COVID-19 vaccine co-administered (that is, given on the same day) with an influenza vaccine by visiting a participating GP or pharmacy.
“Vaccination continues to be the best protection against becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 and it is essential that we all remain ‘up to date’ with COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters.”
Covid restrictions to ease across state
As of next Thursday restrictions will ease across Queensland, with the Premier announcing most venues that have been open only to vaccinated staff and patrons will once again be open to everyone, regardless of vaccination status.
The venues include:
▪ Pubs, clubs, cafés and restaurants
▪ Theme parks, casinos and cinemas
▪ Weddings
▪ Showgrounds
▪ Galleries, libraries, museums and stadiums
Vaccine requirements will still apply to visitors and workers in vulnerable settings including:
▪ Hospitals
▪ Aged and disability care
▪ Prisons
▪ Schools and early childhood centres
Find out more information here.
There actually doing a 4th jab for some (5th jab for severely immunocompromised) starting with
1. Anyone aged 65 years and older
2. People who live in aged care or disability care facilities
3. People aged 16 and over who have been deemed severely immunocompromised
4. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and older
You should be able to get this now.