The Northern NSW areas with the best (and worst) Covid vaccination rates

Additional supplies of the Pfizer vaccine due in September should see vaccination rates rise significantly, while Byron Bay recorded another positive sewage testing result.

Dr Tonya Coren from First Light Healthcare getting the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Covid Vaccination Clinic in Ballina on June 22, 2021.

Covid-19 vaccination rates continue to rise in Northern NSW, with 60 per cent of those eligible recorded as having received their first dose.

And, as of August 29, 32 per cent of eligible residents have had their second dose.

The number of first dose recipients was highest in the Port Macquarie-Hastings, Bellingen, Ballina and Nambucca local government areas, rising into the 60 to 70 per cent band.

In the Local Government Areas of Tweed, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Kyogle, Richmond Valley and Lismore, 50 to 60 per cent of residents have received their first vaccine dose.

The figure was just 40 to 50 per cent in the Byron Shire.

Healthy North Coast Chief Executive Julie Sturgess said additional supplies of the Pfizer vaccine due in September should see vaccination rates rise significantly.

“North Coast rates of vaccination reflect the currently available dose supply,” Ms Sturgess said.

“For example, the Byron LGA has had a limited allocation compared to some other parts of our footprint.

“This is set to change later this month with increased supply for all areas expected.”

By September 2, 46 Northern NSW pharmacies were also offering free Covid-19 vaccine bookings.

The health executive said more than 50,000 additional Pfizer vaccines are expected to be available across northern NSW from mid-September to the end of October.

“The Mid North Coast will receive more than 60,000 extra Pfizer doses,” she added.

Phone lines at North Coast medical practices have been extremely busy due to the number of calls with booking queries, as more people become eligible to receive a free vaccine.

Many medical practices have already put on extra staff to cope with up to 1,000 phone calls a day from people wanting a vaccination appointment.

Ms Sturgess said the strong demand for vaccinations had been fuelled by the opening of eligibility to all people aged 16 to 39 for the Pfizer jab.

Children aged 12-15 will also be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine from September 13, increasing demand even more.

“Although demand currently outstrips supply, by October we’ll have more than twice as many weekly doses available to our communities,” Ms Sturgess said.

The best way for all people to find out when and where to book a vaccination is by going to the Department of Health website and using the Vaccine Eligibility Checker.

Positive sewage testing in Byron Bay

On Sunday, the NSW Sewage Surveillance Program confirmed a positive testing at the Byron Bay sewerage treatment plant for a sample obtained on Thursday, September 2.

Lynne Weir, Acting Chief Executive, Northern NSW Local Health District, said the Byron Bay sewage treatment plant serves about 9000 people in the Byron Shire.

“There are no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in residents of Northern NSW Local Health District,” she said.

“However, we treat positive wastewater detections seriously, as they could indicate there are positive cases in the community who have not been tested.”

Byron Bay residents were asked by NSW Health to monitor for symptoms, and get tested and self isolate if even the mildest of symptoms are present.

Click here for a list of places available for testing in NSW.

The health executive said sewage detections can also be due to shedding of the virus by someone who previously had the illness and may no longer be infectious, or from someone who has since left the area.

The program tests untreated sewage for fragments of the Covid-19 virus at sewage treatment plant locations across NSW.

In Northern NSW, there are 22 sites currently being tested between Grafton and Tweed Heads, as part of the statewide COVID-19 sewage surveillance program.