Pop-up vaccination clinics to be set up at Tassie Bunnings stores in Devonport, Burnie and Invermay
Tasmanians will be able to grab a snag along with their jab at numerous pop-up vaccination clinics opening at Bunnings warehouse stores this weekend. DETAILS >>
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Tasmanians will be able to grab a snag along with their jab at numerous pop-up vaccination clinics opening at multiple Bunnings warehouse stores in the state’s North and North West this weekend.
The vaccination hubs will be set up at store carparks at Devonport on Saturday and Burnie and Invermay on Sunday from 9am to 3pm both days.
Bookings aren’t required with each clinic accepting walk-ins for anyone 12 years and over.
“If you’re in any of these areas and can get to Bunnings, you could add a Pfizer jab to the ‘to do’ list,” Minister for Health Jeremy Rockliff said.
Bunnings Managing Director Mike Schneider said he was pleased to be supporting the government with the rollout of community vaccinations across the North and North West regions of the state.
“We hope it makes accessing vaccinations as easy as possible for the community and customers.”
To book an appointment, call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 or book online at www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/bookings.
State government open to mandating vaccines for police and teachers
THE state government was open to the possibility of mandating Covid-19 vaccinations for employees such as police and teachers, Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff says.
Health workers face and end of October deadline for vaccinations and the government on Friday announced disability workers would also be required to be fully vaccinated.
Mr Rockliff said that the government would consider extending mandatory vaccinations to other groups.
“Over 70 per cent of Tasmanians are fully vaxxed,” he said.
“We will, of course, consider other areas across our public service particularly areas that are front-facing with our community, such as police, education, and of course, the mandatory vaccination for our health workers,” he said.
“All matters in terms of mandatory vaccination, of course will be considered.
“We want to ensure all Tasmanians, firstly, have had the opportunity of vaccination and we’re progressing extremely well.”
Premier Peter Gutwein on Friday announced the state would ease border restrictions for travel to all states from December 15.
Mr Rockliff said the push to vaccinate younger Tasmanians was proceeding well, with a major target being reached passed at the weekend.
“It’s very pleasing to see that we’ve reached a significant milestone with our 12- to 15-year-olds: 50 per cent of 12- to 15-year-olds in Tasmania have had their first dose, which is tremendous,” he said.
“When it comes to December the 15th and opening up our borders, we need to protect ourselves, our community, our loved ones, and the best defence against COVID-19 is a vaccination.
The government would wait for further advice from federal expert groups before extending vaccination into younger age groups, Mr Rockliff said.
“It is quite understandable for people to be concerned about the ensuring that we do have the opportunity to for vaccination for our five- to 12-year-olds, those matters are being sorted through now with federal jurisdictions in terms of the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the like,” he said.
‘Sting in the tail’ for Tassie-bound tourists
THE potential cost of a pre-departure test for Covid-19 before entering Tasmania could turn visitors off travelling to the state during the crucial summer tourism season, the industry fears.
Swabs for symptomatic patients and in other precautionary situations have been free of charge until now, but travellers from mainland Australia could be stung with a fee depending on testing arrangements in their home state.
It is understood travellers themselves would be expected to foot the bill from private pathology clinics to get the pre-departure polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Covid-19 tests before their journey to Tasmania.
In Tasmania, the cost of a pre-travel test with Hobart, Launceston and North West Pathology is $145, which is required to be prepaid and is not subject to Medicare reimbursement.
Sonic Healthcare, of which the Tasmanian centres are members, lists on its website the various centres nationwide for pre-travel Covid testing, with a standard Covid-19 PCR test costing the same across the country.
Under Tasmania’s plan to fully reopen its borders to vaccinated travellers from mainland Australia and overseas from December 15, travellers would initially be required to return a negative Covid-19 test at least 72 hours before arrival.
The Tasmanian government has said the costs of testing would be borne by travellers, but said the rule was expected to be in place only for the short-term.
“It is likely that the pre-travel testing will only be in place for up to four weeks as an important transitional measure, particularly from current high risk areas such as NSW and Victoria, after we open the borders on 15 December,” a spokeswoman said.
“The government will work further with the tourism sector over the next six weeks on how the arrangements will be implemented with our expectation that any testing costs will be met by the traveller.”
It means a family of four could potentially face a cost of more than $500 before they even leave for Tasmania.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said while broadly supportive of Premier Peter Gutwein’s reopening plan, the hidden cost would come as a “rude shock” to many.
“This is the fine print,” Mr Martin said.
“We understand it’s about risk management and we’re not questioning it, but clearly this is a big sting in the tail of the announcement.”
It is up to other jurisdictions to dictate whether they also require pre-departure testing for arrivals to their states and territories.
As part of its staged reopening plan, Queensland has mandated pre-arrival tests for travellers from domestic Covid-19 hot spots and from overseas.
Meanwhile, arrivals into Western Australia from medium, high and extreme risk Australian jurisdictions currently have to provide evidence of a negative pre-departure Covid-19 test.
Mr Martin said he would rather see a national approach to pre-departure testing, which could help reduce the cost.
It comes as the hospitality sector raises concerns about leaving a decision on whether to allow unvaccinated patrons into venues up to individual operators.
“This is going to put a lot of pressure on venues and staff as the onus will be on employers, adding further stress to what has been a difficult 18 months,” Tasmanian Hospitality Association chief executive Steve Old said.
“The THA board also holds concerns around measures regarding the vaccination status of staff.
“We will be writing to the government seeking clarification on several issues, we believe there needs to be a clear ruling so it takes the legal presence off the venues.”
On Friday, Mr Gutwein said he was confident everyone aged 12 and over would have had the opportunity to be vaccinated by the reopening date.
“I’m also confident that we will have achieved a 90 per cent vaccination rate, as long as people continue to turn up,” he said.
Originally published as Pop-up vaccination clinics to be set up at Tassie Bunnings stores in Devonport, Burnie and Invermay
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