OPEN NOW: Inside region’s first vaccine mega hub

One of the state’s oldest City Halls, built just a few years after the Plague hit regional Queensland, is now at the forefront of the modern-day pandemic response.

(Top left): Jane Dixon shows off where she received her COVID Vaccine. (Top right) A generic syringe. (Bottom left) the waiting room at the Maryborough City Hall, now a COVID vaccination hub. (Bottom right) Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery at WBHHS Fiona Sewell. Photo: Stuart Fast

A building that went up just a few years after the Plague hit Maryborough is now at the centre of the Wide Bay region‘s modern-day pandemic response.

The auditorium in the hall has been transformed into the region’s first community vaccine hub.

When someone goes to receive their vaccine, they enter the hall and are greeted by a nurse to check their eligibility before being sent to wait in a socially-distanced seating area.

The hall is sectioned into taped-off spaces where people receive their injections and are then monitored afterwards for 15-30 minutes.

VACCINE HUB: Patients wait to receive their COVID vaccination at the Maryborough City Hall. Photo: Stuart Fast

Unlike historic pandemics, which claimed local lives including in 1905 when Black Death knocked on the Heritage City’s door, Maryborough is yet to record a confirmed COVID-19 case.

The closest brushes it has had with the virus were when the Tinana Vet Surgery temporarily closed in July 2020 with a staff member coming into contact with a COVID diagnosed person and another in March when a contact tracing alert for Bruce Highway food stop Olivers at Maryborough West was sent out.

Despite this, Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery at Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service Fiona Sewell said it was still important for people to receive the vaccine as it offered an opportunity to be protected from the virus into the future.

VACCINE HUB: Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery at WBHHS Fiona Sewell outside the vaccination hub at Maryborough City Hall. Photo: Stuart Fast

“People need to think about their conditions, talk to their GPs if they have a chronic condition and consider vaccination for safety and the safety of others,” Ms Sewell said.

She said eligible people could turned up to the hall to receive the injections in the first two weeks but said WBHHS was looking to introduce a more efficient booking system as the number of people receiving the vaccine increased.

Maryborough resident Jane Dixon received the vaccine at the hub and she said it was important for people to protect themselves and the community through vaccination.

“It didn’t hurt, just like a normal injection. It was fine,” she said.

VACCINE HUB: Maryborough resident Jane Dixon proudly shows off where she received her COVID-19 vaccination. Photo: Stuart Fast

The controversial Astra Zeneca vaccine is currently the only type on offer and only to people in the following categories; group 1a frontline health workers, quarantine and border workers and aged care/ disability workers and patients.

It is also open to people in the 1B category which is household contacts of quarantine and border workers, adults aged over 70, indigenous Australians, high risk workers like police officers, firefighters and adults with underlying health issues.

People aged 50 and older are welcome to attend the clinics in person, either to be vaccinated or to book an appointment for a later time.

The three Wide Bay vaccination hubs are to help the region play catch up on the vaccine rollout which has been hampered by limited GP resourcing and national delays in stock.

The Pfizer vaccine will also be administered locally from June 2 in Maryborough.

A second hub will open at TAFE Queensland Hervey Bay campus from 1pm Tuesday, May 11 with Pfizer vaccines to start May 24 at the site.

A third hub will open at TAFE Queensland Bundaberg campus on Thursday, May 13 with Pfizer vaccines to start May 18.

Operating hours are generally from 8am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, but the hubs will be closed on some days to enable the vaccination teams to conduct outreach clinics around the region.

Originally published as OPEN NOW: Inside region’s first vaccine mega hub