Cairns Covid vaccine rates revealed after CDRL finals pop-up clinic

While Yarrabah’s low vaccine rate has been well-documented, another Far North region is also lagging behind much of the state - but its mayor says the situation is improving.

CAIRNS residents can begin to expect more pop-up Covid-19 vaccine clinics following the city’s recent event-based station at local rugby league grand final matches.

And they’ll start this weekend after the Premier confirmed vaccine clinics would be set up at more than two dozen Bunnings stores in Queensland from Sunday.

Smithfield and Atherton Bunnings will host the pop-up clinics in the Far North.

A total 44 Covid-19 vaccines were administered at the Cairns and District Rugby League

grand final between Yarrabah and Innisfail at Barlow Park on Saturday.

In the Far North, 67 per cent of people aged 15 and older had received at least one jab as at October 4, but the rate among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population was just 32 per cent.

Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service nursing director Karen Spies, CHHHS COVID-19 vaccination program director Kelly Pollock and Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service executive director of medical services Dr Don Mackie at the mass vaccination hub. Picture: Andreas Nicola

In the least protected areas, the Aboriginal communities like Yarrabah, the heralded 80 per cent milestone won’t be reached until 2023 if the take up remains glacial.

Federal health data released on October 11 showed 32.9 per cent of Yarrabah residents had received one dose and 19 per cent had received both doses of the vaccine, up from 18.2 per cent on October 4.

Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service executive director Covid-19 vaccination program Dr Don Mackie said any number of vaccines administered at any site was considered a success.

“We are pivoting our vaccination program to include more pop-up clinics, in order to vaccinate people where they live, work and play,” he said.

“The door-to-door initiative we commenced (on Monday) in Yarrabah alongside the Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service has been scheduled at this stage from October 11-13.

Yarrabah was strictly locked down during the height of the pandemic in 2020, and now CHHHS has partnered with the Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service to conduct a door-to-door vaccine service in the town. Pic – Brian Cassey

“This is the first time we have carried out this initiative anywhere within the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service region. We will review this model and look to expand this model, based on its success.”

It comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk took aim parts of the state where slow vaccine uptake rates were holding back an official border reopening date.

In the Far North, aside from Yarrabah, the Mareeba Shire Council area had the slowest uptake rate with just 45 per cent of residents receiving both doses.

Mareeba Shire Mayor Angela Toppin said: “The availability of the vaccination in the Mareeba Shire is improving, with the pharmacies now offering vaccinations throughout the week.”

“While vaccination centres have been established in neighbouring Local Government areas, this does not easily translate into many of the community accessing the vaccination,” she said.

Meanwhile the mass vaccination hub at the Cairns Convention Centre concluded its service on Sunday October 10 delivering a total 16,152 doses since the clinic was set up in early September.

And as of October 11 70.6 per cent of residents within the Cairns local government area had received one dose and 56.7 per cent were full vaccinated.

AROUND THE FAR NORTH REGIONS AS OF OCT 11

Cassowary Coast

Received dose one – 65.6 per cent

Received dose two – 47.9 per cent

Douglas

Received dose one – 68.5 per cent

Received dose two – 52.4 per cent

Mareeba

Received dose one – 57.9 per cent

Received dose two – 45 per cent

Tablelands

Received dose one – 68.4 per cent

Received dose two – 54.8 per cent

Originally published as Cairns Covid vaccine rates revealed after CDRL finals pop-up clinic