How you can get your Covid vaccination now

Premiers across the nation are urging people to get vaccinated, so how is the best way to do it?

How, where and when you can get a Covid vaccination on the Northern Rivers. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP)

UPDATE 1pm: The local health district has extended its covid vaccination clinic opening hours and was considering opening pop-up clinics in an effort to meet the huge demand on the Northern Rivers.

Northern NSW Local Health District has opened three vaccination clinics located at

Tweed Heads, Lismore and Grafton.

Each of these clinics offer both AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines for eligible people.

Acting Chief Executive, Northern NSW Local Health District, Lynne Weir said they were currently taking bookings for July and August.

“There is currently significant demand for vaccination bookings across NSW, including

at the District’s three vaccination clinics,” Ms Weir said.

“NNSWLHD has recently expanded the operating hours of its clinics, with all three

now open on Saturdays, and Tweed and Lismore also open on Sundays. Additional

staff have been allocated to assist in the call centre,” she said.

“The Local Health District is currently exploring options to open time-limited pop-up

clinics in other locations.

“The District appreciates people’s patience and urges everyone to get vaccinated as

soon as it possible to do so. In doing so, you take an important step to protect

yourself, your loved ones and the community.

“Please be assured that everyone who wants to be vaccinated, will be vaccinated.”

UPDATE Tuesday 9.50am: Overnight, the Prime Minister announced a new indemnity scheme allowing Australians of any age to immediately get the AstraZeneca vaccine if they talk to their GP about the blood clot risk.

Pfizer remains the preferred option for people aged under 60, but with the vaccine in short supply for at least another three months, millions of Australians could be protected sooner if they wanted to have the AstraZeneca jab.

National cabinet agreed the new indemnity scheme protecting GPs who administer AstraZeneca to any age group would be backdated to the start of the rollout and remain for the entire pandemic.

During the emergency meeting on Monday night state and territory leaders also agreed to mandate residential aged care workers have at least the first dose of vaccine by mid September 2021.

Other new measures introduced by the cabinet included quarantine workers and their household contacts getting vaccinated, increased testing for returned international travellers, and separating people in quarantine based on whether they are high or low risk.

Original story: As the current Covid-19 outbreak worsens, premiers across the country are calling on the community to get vaccinated.

So where, when and how can you get vaccinated on the Northern Rivers?

You can find a clinic on the Australian Government’s online eligibility checker for Covid vaccinations where, after answering a series of questions, you will be offered a range of clinics where you can get the relevant vaccine for you.

Some clinics offer online booking, and others you will need to call.

If you are aged 40 or over, you are eligible for vaccination, with Pfizer the recommended vaccine for people under 60.

If you are aged 16 to 39 you may be eligible for vaccination. The questions will help you find out if you are.

If you are not yet eligible, and aged 18 years or over, you will have the option to be notified when you are.

The Pfizer vaccination is only offered at a few clinics in the region, but it will be available at more locations in coming weeks.

AstraZeneca is more widely available at this time, but is only recommended for people over 60.

While the Australian Government’s online eligibility checker was the preferred method for people to book a vaccination, there are some issues with the system.

Not all clinics offering vaccinations are offered online yet, and some phone numbers are ringing out.

New clinics and appointments are being added all the time as more vaccines become available, and people are urged to keep checking in to make a booking.

The Ballina Commonwealth Vaccination Clinic is offering Pfizer vaccinations, but may not show on the site yet as it only began offering Pfizer last week for people aged 40 to 59. You can book by calling 66856326.

Healthy North Coast said planning is underway to increase the number of CVCs offering the Pfizer vaccine. The six other CVCs in our region are at Murwillumbah, Casino, Yamba, Nambucca Heads, Kempsey and Wauchope.

This is on top of four state clinics `at Lismore, Byron Bay, Tweed Heads and Grafton.

Additionally, 20 local general practices are due to begin administering the Pfizer vaccine from July 5, with a further 10 commencing on July 12. More practices are expected to be onboarded from July 19.

Some clinics show next available appointments in August, but it is believed appointments will become available sooner as more vaccines become available.

Meanwhile, unions are calling on the NSW and Commonwealth governments to provide a minimum half day of paid leave for all workers to get vaccinated.

Unions NSW secretary, Mark Morey, said the NSW Government was the nation’s largest employer and Premier Gladys Berejiklian could lead the way by introducing ‘vax leave’ for all NSW Government employees.

He said all barriers to people getting the vaccine should be eliminated, and the measure would help workers, particularly casual and contract workers, get the vaccine.