Tuesday, 21 September 2021
MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall has praised the efforts of people across the region who are continuing to roll up their sleeves in record numbers, with now three-quarters (74.7 per cent) of the region’s population, 15 years and over, having received their first dose of COVID vaccine.
A delighted Mr Marshall today released the weekly COVID-19 vaccination rate update for each local government area across the Northern Tablelands, provided by the Commonwealth Department of Health, which shows the Uralla and Glen Innes communities still leading the way for the region with first-dose vaccine rates at almost 80 per cent
“These figures are absolutely incredible and I cannot thank the community enough for the effort they are making, turning out and rolling up their sleeves,” Mr Marshall said.
“Three in every four people in our region has now received their first dose of COVID vaccine, an increase almost six per cent on the previous week.
“Every LGA in the region has now passed the 70 per cent first dose mark and our weekly increases continue to be more than five per cent, which bodes well for hitting out 80 per cent double dose target very soon.
“Overall, I think this reflects the increasing desire of people to get vaccinated, but also the increasing opportunities to do so across the region.”
Mr Marshall praised the efforts of medical practitioners in the Glen Innes Severn LGA (now at 79.9% first doses), which recorded its second successive week of a six-plus per cent increase in first doses.
“Glen Innes has taken the lead in our region, just edging ahead of Uralla, and is now just shy of 80 per cent of its adult population vaccinated with their first dose, which is credit to the local GPs, pharmacy and community,” he said.
“Uralla is only just behind, with 79.6 per cent first dose rate, recording an impressive 5.7 per cent increase on the previous week, which is great to see.
“It just shows that when opportunities are made available to get vaccinated more quickly and more easily, people are happy to take advantage.”
Three local government areas have more than 47 per cent of their population fully vaccinated – Uralla LGA has an enormous 51.7 per cent with two doses, Glen Innes Severn is catching up with 49.6 per cent and Armidale Regional stands at 47.7 per cent.
“Congratulations and thank you to everyone who has rolled up their sleeves and also to all our medical professionals who are working hard to put these vaccines into arms across the region,” Mr Marshall said.
“We’ve now got to keep up the pace and our effort – as we know, the faster we can get to the 80 per cent mark, the sooner we can have certainty and can get back to some form of normality in our daily lives – and never have lockdowns again.
To find your nearest COVID vaccination clinic, visit www.covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility