COVID-19 vaccination schedule for Northern Rivers residents

How to find out when you can expect to get the COVID-19 vaccination according to Healthy North Coast.

VACCINATION ROLLOUT: A NSW Health worker Andrew Santoso, a Radiographer in the Emergency Department receives his COVID-19 vaccination, Photo: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

New data has revealed that 3.83 per cent of the region's aged care residents have received the COVID-19 vaccination.

On Wednesday March 10, 2021, Healthy North Coast reported of the approximately 6,000 aged care residents in 80 Residential Aged Care Facilities, as of March 9, 2021, 545 residents or 9.8 per cent have already been vaccinated, including 230 or 3.83 per cent on the Far North Coast since the national rollout commenced on Monday 22 February.

Northern Rivers residents can use the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker to determine when their turn to receive the free vaccination is available and a centralised national online appointment booking portal is planned for the near future.

It is anticipated that people will be able to make a vaccination appointment through the portal, or simply by phoning their nearest participating clinic.

Currently Australia is in Phase 1a while Phase 1b is planned to start late March/early April and the vaccinations offered to those who are at highest risk and are being organised by employers or care facilities.

People can check with their employer or care facility on their eligibility.

The rollout is expected to reach Phase 2a and Phase 2b around the middle of 2021.

The federal government has made it clear that the COVID-19 vaccination will be voluntary in Australia, however, strongly encourages people to get the free vaccination.

Healthy North Coast reported its goal is for every person in the region who wishes to be vaccinated to be able to do so by the end of this year via providing education, co-ordination, and mass vaccination planning support to residential aged care facilities (RACFs), general practices, GP respiratory clinics, Aboriginal medical services, pharmacies and residential disability facilities to ensure a timely and effective vaccine rollout in communities from Port Macquarie to Tweed Heads.

People Living In Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs)

The region has approximately 6,000 aged care residents in 80 RACFs and as of March 9, 2021, 545 residents or 9.8 per cent have already been vaccinated, including 230 or 3.83 per cent on the Far North Coast. .

More residents will be vaccinated across both regions over coming weeks.

General Population

Healthy North Coast continues to work with general practices preparing for the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination program for the general population.

Currently, more than 100 general practices in the Far North Coast and the Mid North Coast are planning to participate in the vaccine rollout.

Close to 13,000 vaccine doses for Phase 1b will start to be delivered to these general practices from late March/early April.

More than 70 per cent of these supplies will be available from week one and the remainder of the Phase 1b vaccine supplies will be delivered in weeks two, three and four.

Aboriginal Health Services

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) has worked with the Commonwealth Department of Health to develop a range of resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 Vaccines - Priority Rollout

Phase 1a:

Aged care and disability care residents and staff; quarantine, border and frontline healthcare workers.

Phase 1b:

Elderly adults aged 70 years and over; other healthcare workers including drug and alcohol workers;

Begin vaccinating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults; adults with a specified medical condition;

Adults with a disability who have a specified underlying medical condition; critical and high-risk workers including defence, police, fire, emergency services, and meat processing workers.

Phase 2a:

Adults aged 60-69 years; adults aged 50-59 years; continue vaccinating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults; other critical and high-risk workers.

Phase 2b:

Balance of adult population; catch up any unvaccinated Australians from previous phases.

Phase 3:

Those under 16 (if recommended).

Further information on the COVID-19 vaccination and the rollout here.