Roper Gulf communities reach 100 per cent vax rates

A surge in vaccinations has seen several communities in the Roper Gulf reach almost a 100 per cent first dose.

THE surge in remote vaccinations has seen several communities in the Roper Gulf reach almost a 100 per cent first dose vaccination rate.

On Tuesday, the Chief Minister announced Binjari and Rockhole will each reach 100 per cent first dose vaccination following a Covid-19 outbreak in the communities.

By the end of this week, 100 per cent of eligible residents in Barunga, to the west of Katherine, are expected have received their first Covid-19 vaccinations. On Tuesday night the community reached 90 per cent second dose.

Neighbouring towns of Bulman, Manyallaluk and Jilkminggan have over 90 per cent rates.

The enormous effort has been a co-ordinated approach with Elders and the Sunrise Aboriginal Health Corporation.

Barunga woman and Sunrise Aboriginal Health Corporation chairwoman Anne-Marie Lee said the successful vaccination campaign had relied on trusted people leading by example and on conversations.

“My sister, mum and I were among the first people to get vaccinated, and we have the respect of community out here,” she said.

“After that it was about showing everyone that I was fine, and all that stuff on Facebook they were reading wasn’t true.”

The closed community, 80km west of Katherine also has a longstanding relationship with a Sunrise Health senior nurse, who is described by residents as “part of the furniture”.

Sunrise senior nurse Peter Wordsworth has worked in Roper Gulf for more than 25 years and said the vaccination campaign at times had felt slow but the approach was to maintain the trust.

“Sometimes someone will come in and their blood sugars levels would be high, or they still didn’t feel quite ready,” Mr Wordsworth said.

Sunrise Health Services

“On those days it was about having the right conversation and just being patient.

“We have also needed to be available to community – where and when they want to access the vaccine, not just when a clinic is open.”

Health services, alongside Elders in the community, have been offering vaccinations at the clinic.

They have also turned up to local footy training to vaccinate players, doorknocked people at homes in the community and run vaccination clinics on weekends.

Ms Lee said the approach had been anytime, anywhere.

Sunrise Aboriginal Health Corporation also ran a swab and trace trial in the small community of Eva Valley on Monday. The purpose of the trial was to see how effectively the team could be deployed and to test and trace potential close contacts in the event Covid-19 was to spread.