Community hubs aid vaccine rollout

Published Monday, 24 May, 2021 at 04:10 PM

JOINT STATEMENT

Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services
The Honourable Yvette D'Ath

The State Government will open 14 Community-Based Vaccination hubs by the end of July helping to make the COVID vaccine rollout easier.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the centres will be established to coincide with increased vaccine supply announced by the Federal Government.

Members of the general public aged 40-49 who may want to receive a COVID-19 Pfizer vaccination will be able to register for vaccination.

“Our job so far has been to vaccinate the 1a and 1b groups that include our workforce in hotel quarantine, health, police and other emergency services,” the Premier said.

“Queensland Health has sufficient Pfizer stocks to continue that work and open up to the 40-49-year age group who may want to register to be vaccinated.

“We do not want an ounce of vaccine to go to waste.”

Four community-based vaccination locations have already been stood up across the Wide Bay and Mackay regions at:

  • Central Queensland University City Campus (Mackay)
  • Bundaberg TAFE
  • Hervey Bay TAFE
  • Maryborough City Hall

Three community-based vaccination locations in south-east Queensland will be stood up in the coming weeks.

An additional seven community-based vaccination locations will progressively be opened. 

The state is preparing for mass vaccination when supplies of Pfizer vaccine are expected to increase in the last quarter of 2021. 

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the community hubs would assist Queensland’s recalibrated rollout.

“Since the TGA’s advice regarding AstraZeneca, Queensland has had to adapt its approach to the vaccine rollout,” the Minister said.

“We’re making the vaccine as accessible as possible and maximising our vaccine administration capacity. 

“Already, we have stood up Pfizer hubs at hospitals in every HHS across Queensland to provide greater vaccine accessibility.

“The Palaszczuk Government will ensure that our vaccine rollout is accessible as possible, and these community vaccine hubs will further assist Queenslanders, no matter where they are, to get access to the vaccine.”