Despite the wait time, patients are relieved to be vaccinated

When it comes to the health of their family and the community, this Toowoomba family say the wait is nothing – they are just glad to get their jab.

SUPER PATIENTS: Covid vaccination project team member, Monique Morgan helps Dana and Ben Gouldson and their daughter Georgia check in to the Darling Downs Covid super clinic at Baillie Henderson Hospital on Saturday. Picture: Nev Madsen.

This weekend marked the first Darling Downs Health ‘super clinic’ as part of a mass Covid vaccination push across the state with local experts saying the regular flow of patients has been pleasing.

Darling Downs Health Emergency Operations Centre lead Ms Annette Scott said DDHS hoped to see a total of 2000 patients across the weekend receive the Pfizer vaccine through a mixture of online bookings and walk-in appointments.

“The booked people are flowing in quite nicely while we have explained to the walk in patients that we will be prioritising the people who are booked as well as the target demographic patients of 40-49 year olds, aged care workers and disability care workers,” she said.

“So while we can’t guarantee how long the walk-in wait time will be the average time has been between around the two hour mark and it appears the majority of patients are happy with that wait time.”

Ms Scott explained the walk-in patients were offered chairs to sit in line if they would prefer while a coffee van near by was able to offer those in line hot beverages and snacks to help pass the time.

“One message we need to make loud and clear is that you cannot receive any Covid vaccination if you have received your flu vaccine within the last 14 days,” Ms Scott said.

“This is the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommendation when it comes to any vaccinations whether it be the annual flu vaccine, Tetanus vaccine or one of the Covid vaccinations, you need to wait 14 days from your last vaccination before you have your next vaccination.”

Monique Morgan, part of the Covid vaccination project team at Baillie Henderson helps Dana and Ben Gouldson and their daughter Georgia check in at the Darling Downs Health super clinic on Saturday. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The Gouldson family were among some of the very first people to brave the cold on Saturday to roll up their sleeves and receive their Pfizer jabs.

“With our daughter home from college this weekend we thought it was the perfect time to come down as a family and get our first vaccination done and dusted,” Dana Gouldson said.

“We’ve been passionate about receiving our Covid vaccinations as soon as possible for the safety of our family as well as the community so we were keen to take full advantage of the super clinic this weekend.”

“Our 21-year-old daughter has a chronic health condition called idiopathic intracranial hypertension,” Ben Gouldson said.

“She only just had her thirteenth brain surgery eight weeks ago and she’s already received her vaccine so we’ve been wanting to get our vaccinations as soon as our demographic was able to so that we can be better protected for her sake.”

While the Gouldson family did arrive at 7.30am on the Saturday and only managed to leave the clinic at 11am, they said the three and a half-hour wait was nothing to them.

“What’s three hours of waiting in the grand scheme of things really,” Mrs Gouldson said.

“Our daughter’s health is our main priority and if it means waiting in line for several hours than so be it, I’m just glad our family is now half way to be being fully vaccinated and in three weeks time when we come back for our second dose it will be good to know we’ve done our part for the community.”

To receive up to date information on the current wait times at the Baillie Henderson vaccine clinic, follow the Darling Downs Health Facebook page where they post regular updates.

The Covid vaccine clinic at Baillie Henderson Hospital will continue to run throughout the week offering both the Pfizer and the AstraZeneca vaccine to all Darling Downs patients who meet the vaccination requirements.

To book a vaccine phone 13 42 68 or to register to be vaccinated online, follow this link.

For more information on the different age, job and health requirements, follow this link.