Gympie COVID vaccine rollout for over 50s to finally begin

Almost half of the region’s population is now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and the offers have started

The COVID-19 vaccine is finally being offered to Gympie residents over 50 who wish to book in.

Almost half of Gympie’s 52,000 population is now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19, with offers being sent out this week.

53-year-old Gympie Regional councillor Bruce Devereaux is among the first to receive his invitation, posting his excitement on his Facebook page on Wednesday.

“I‘m a bit excited,” Mr Devereaux said in his post.

“Channon St Medical called and I’m booked in for my first jab of the COVID-19 vaccination in two weeks time.”

This week, over 50s across Australia are eligible to receive the AstraZeneca shot at GP respiratory clinics or state and territory mass vaccination clinics and ABS data reveals 46 per cent of the Gympie region’s population are aged 50 or older.

It is believed the Pfizer shot is currently only available at Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

The next stage of the Australian rollout allows over 50s to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. (Photo by MICHAEL DANTAS / AFP)

Up until Wednesday, May 5, Queensland Health’s online rollout page listed Gympie Hospital and Nolan’s Meats Works (as an outreach centre) as the only mass vaccination hubs in the region offering shots “by invitation, to eligible health care workers and other critical and high-risk workers”.

The Australian Government website lists The Gympie Clinic on Channon St as a site where those eligible can make a booking.

The percentage of the region who have had the jab since the rollout began is unclear.

As of Tuesday, May 4, Gympie Hospital had administered 291 COVID vaccinations, Queensland Health data showed.

This compared to 10,507 delivered at the Sunshine Coast Hospital, 1384 at Bundaberg Hospital, 908 at Hervey Bay Hospital, 825 at Nambour Hospital, 603 at Maryborough Hospital and 187 at Kingaroy Hospital.

The Gympie Civic Centre is believed to be the frontrunner to become a mass vaccination hub in the region.

Four of the region’s GP clinics were given approval in March to begin giving the vaccine to first priority recipients: Doctors at Goldfields Plaza, Southside Medical Centre, Excelsior Medical Centre and Cooloola Coast General Practice.

The number of vaccines administered by these clinics is unknown; however since the wider rollout began, clinics across the country have reported repeated shortfalls in the number of doses supplied, placing the scheme under severe pressure.

Planned repair work at Gympie’s Civic Centre is understood to be in limbo as the site is reportedly the front runner to become a vaccination hub in the region.

Uncertainty over the Civic Centre’s immediate future, and the need for safety work to be done, means it is unlikely to reopen as an entertainment venue until 2022.

Gympie Hospital has only administered 291 doses of the vaccine so far. Photo Tanya Easterby / The Gympie Times

Asked about the rollout for Gympie residents aged 50 or older and where they will be able to receive their vaccination given the heavy older skew of the region’s population, Queensland Health said this:

“Queensland Health is committed to ensuring all eligible people living in Queensland have the opportunity to receive their COVID-19 vaccination.

“Our current focus is vaccinating phase 1b eligible frontline workers (such as healthcare workers, police, corrective services, meat workers, airports and household contact of hotel quarantine workers) and continuing to establish additional Pfizer sites throughout May 2021.

“All people aged 50 years and older are eligible to make an appointment for vaccination at a participating GP practice or GP Respiratory Clinic (GPRC) or Aboriginal community Controlled Health Organisation.

“Site and booking details for Queensland’s state-run vaccination clinics will be available in the coming weeks.”

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Originally published as Gympie COVID vaccine rollout for over 50s to finally begin