Five-day vaccination blitz targeted at Tasmanians aged 12-18 begins with a rush at clinic in Hobart

Thousands of young Tasmanians have streamed through vaccination clinics to receive their Covid jabs – and go in the draw to score some new tech. LATEST DETAILS >>

WEDNESDAY marks the finale of a five-day vaccination blitz targeted at Tasmanian teenagers, with thousands of young people turning out to state-run clinics in recent days.

The incentive of winning a prize of an iPad, iPhone or Apple watch was rolled out by the state government in response to lagging vaccination progress among 12 to 18-year-olds.

Bella Lovell, 13, of Dodges Ferry, was among those to be vaccinated at a Hobart CBD clinic on Tuesday and said keeping her family safe, including her six-month-old baby sister, was her primary motivation for getting vaccinated.

While the potential to win a prize was an added bonus, Bella said it was not the main reason for coming forward.

“I think I was going to get vaccinated soon anyway,” she said.

Bella attended the clinic alongside grandmother Michelle Earley, who is also vaccinated, and said she was looking forward to the prospect of international travel after Tasmania’s border fully reopens to vaccinated travellers on December 15.

“I love overseas travel, so I’m really waiting until probably next year to see how it pans out ... to see how people react to it and let the borders calm down a little bit,” she said.

Bella Lovell with her grandmother Michelle Earley outside the vaccination clinic in Hobart. Picture: Mireille Merlet

Premier Peter Gutwein said following a briefing with health officials on Tuesday, he was confident that every eligible Tasmanian had now had the opportunity to be vaccinated.

“This means there is no turning back – our borders will definitely reopen on December 15, so if you haven’t yet rolled up your sleeve, please protect yourself, your loved ones and your community and get vaccinated,” he said.

Mr Gutwein said vaccination was the best safeguard against Covid-19, with 91.4 per cent of Tasmanians aged 12 and over having had at least one dose, while 83.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.

The Premier said the state was on target to achieve a 90 per cent fully vaccinated rate by December 15, but he encouraged Tasmanians to keep turning up for the jab.

“There are hundreds of bookings available each day as well as the opportunity for walk-in appointments in state clinics,” he said.

“Our 12 to 18-year cohort was lagging, which is why we incentivised them to get the vaccination through our five-day blitz, which is still underway and has resulted in an additional 1000 young people turning up to our state-run clinics over the weekend.”

The full list of vaccination clinic locations is available at www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au

Vaccination blitz begins for young Tasmanians

A VACCINATION blitz targeted at young Tasmanians received a strong response at a walk-in clinic in Hobart on Saturday, with hundreds of people turning up to get the jab.

The five-day blitz started on Saturday and runs until Wednesday, with the incentive of iPhones, iPads and Apple watches offered among 50 spot prizes for 12 to 18-year-olds.

More than 600 people flocked to Princes Wharf No.1 on the Hobart waterfront during an eight-hour clinic.

Among them was 13-year-old Finley Piva, who said the possibility of winning a prize simply for turning up was an added bonus of getting vaccinated.

“I couldn’t feel a thing,” he said of the jab.

“I think vaccination is really useful.

“All of my friends have been vaccinated.”

Finley Piva, 13, after his vaccination at PW1 on Saturday afternoon.

Vaccination clinic team leader Kym Self said at least 645 people had attended PW1 to get the jab on Saturday.

“We are pleasantly surprised with the amount of walk-ins,” she said.

“There has been a very good proportion of young people.”

The vaccination blitz comes less than a month before Tasmania reopens its border to fully vaccinated travellers, on December 15.

Those aged between 12 and 18 have a first or second dose by Wednesday can enter a draw to win one of the prizes.

Additionally, anyone in that age group who is fully vaccinated by November 30 can also be in the running.

To date in Tasmania, 92.8 per cent of people aged 16 and over have had one dose of the vaccine and 83.9 per cent have been fully vaccinated.

But the number is much lower for 12 to 15-year-olds, with 68.3 per cent having received one dose and just 50 per cent having had two.

Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff on Friday said immunising more young people was an important next step in the state’s vaccination rollout.
“We know that young people experience the highest rates of Covid-19 infection, and while they may not experience serious symptoms themselves, they are spreaders of the virus,” he said.

Netball, footy teams unite for a shot at playing in 2022

YOUNG Tasmanians involved in team sports are being urged to get their Covid vaccinations before they take the playing field, to ensure seasons can go on uninterrupted in 2022.

Major sporting organisations Football Tasmania and Netball Tasmania are calling for Tasmanians aged between 12 and 17 to get vaccinated before the border reopens on December 15.

“It’s been a difficult 20 months with Covid, in particular 2020,” Football Tasmania CEO Matt Bulkeley said.

“All of us missed a lot of sport and we’ve felt the impact on our young people.

“We’ve had two years of no national championships, and almost certainly next year when it kicks off again, I would assume it (vaccination) probably is going to be a bit of a requirement.”

Dylan Williams 16, Sophie Pidgeon 17, Trey Foster 15 and Georgia Pyke 17. Picture: Chris Kidd

Netballer Sophie Pidgeon, 17, said Covid had thrown a spanner in the works for two years. “We miss out on training and games, which isn’t good for our development,” she said.

“It’s what we love to do and when you can’t do that, it’s disappointing.”

Miss Pidgeon said last year the season had to be rearranged, and players missed out on the national championships.

“We haven’t been able to run all the championships because of Covid and if everyone was vaccinated, it gives us the chance to get sport back to how it should be,” she said.

Georgia Pyke, 17, said she had played netball for at least seven years but was forced to miss out on key playing opportunities in the past two seasons.

“I was picked in the Tassie under-17s team both years and I wasn’t able to play both years,” she said. “There’s our state league roster which got cancelled too.”

Miss Pyke is fully vaccinated and hoped others would do the same.

Netball Tasmania CEO Aaron Pidgeon said increased vaccination rates would ensure organised sport could provide maximum value to the community.

“Organised sport plays such an important role in the lives of many, and is proven to provide a vast array of physical, mental and social benefits,” Mr Pidgeon said.

“We’re calling on young Tasmanians to roll up their sleeves and get the jab so these benefits can continue to be available to all in the state, as well as to protect the more vulnerable in our society.”

Latest Health Department figures for Tasmanians aged 12 to 15 show 68.06 per cent have received a first dose and 49.65 per cent are fully vaccinated. The total population of 12-15-year-olds in the state is 26,308.