Northern NSW child Covid vaccination clinics busy administering jabs

Parents and children have kept Covid vaccination centres busy over the past week with beginning of the 5-11 year-old rollout. Here’s how many jabs they have given.

The Northern NSW Local Health District has revealed the number of children across the region who have already rolled up their sleeves to get their first Covid-19 vaccination.

More than 240 children received the jab in the first two days since Covid vaccinations began being offered for children aged between five and 11 the vaccination, according to Northern NSW Local Health District Chief Executive Lynne Weir.

“With the high demand for vaccine appointments for children, from Monday 17 January, clinic hours will be extended with more bookings available,” she said.

More than two million children aged 5 to 11 are now eligible for their first Covid-19 vaccination after a nationwide rollout began on Monday last week.

The special paediatric dose of the Pfizer vaccine is one-third of the dose size administered to adults and approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

However, children will have to wait eight weeks between doses.

Across NSW, 95.2 per cent of people aged 16 and over have received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and 93.8 per cent have received two doses.

Of people aged 12 to 15, 81.9 per cent have received a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, and 78.2 per cent have received two doses.

Of people aged 5 to 11, 6.5 per cent have received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

The news comes as some Northern NSW pharmacists fear that most school-aged children will only be half-vaccinated by the time the NSW school term begins.

Grafton pharmacist Michael Troy said that statistic led him to “absolutely understand” Queensland’s delayed return to schooling.

Bookings for 5-11 year-olds are available every Monday and Thursday at vaccination clinics in Grafton, Lismore and Tweed Heads.

To make a booking, head here.

Other than vaccination, precautions parents can take include being vaccinated against Covid-19 themselves, washing children’s hands regularly, prioritising outdoor play and keeping indoor areas well-ventilated.