Outreach vaccination clinics coming soon to northern Queensland’s rural communities

Rural residents in northern Queensland will have greater access to the Pfizer vaccine when outreach clinics are rolled out next month in Ingham, Burdekin, Charters Towers and Hughenden.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath encouraged residents of these rural communities to take advantage of the upcoming clinics, which will run on selected dates between September and November.

“We’ve had a great response from the far north, administering more than 74,000 doses at Queensland Health vaccination clinics to residents of Townsville HHS,” Minister D’Ath said.

“We’ve seen a recent increase in demand in this region and have allocated an additional 3,000 doses a week to Townsville’s community vaccination location.

“We want to make sure our rural residents have ready access to the vaccine, and we’re excited to be able to offer these outreach clinics to our communities.

“Vaccination is the best way rural communities can protect their way of life during the pandemic so it’s important that everyone makes this a priority.

“Anyone who is eligible should be taking the opportunity to be vaccinated when immunisation teams are in their community.”

People aged 16 and above in these communities are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at these clinics.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery and COVID-19 vaccination project lead Judy Morton said the outreach clinics were organised so people could get their first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to protect against severe COVID-19 disease and is a critical step in combatting the virus,” she said.

“Earlier this year we vaccinated priority groups in our rural locations, and we are thrilled to return to vaccinate the remainder of these communities.

“The clinics will be located at well-known, community-based locations and people can register to book their appointment online.

“We will visit these communities monthly up until November.

“This makes sure residents can easily receive both their first and second doses of the vaccine in their local communities.”

Bookings are preferred at https://www.vaccinebookings.health.qld.gov.au/registerforvaccination/ or by calling 134 COVID (13 42 68)

The rural community vaccination outreach clinics will visit the below locations on the following dates.

Burdekin
PCYC Burdekin

September 20-22
October 18-20
November 15-17

Ingham
TYTO Conference and Events Centre
September 15-17
October 11-13
November 8-9

Hughenden
Diggers Entertainment Centre
September 1-3
October 6-8

Charters Towers
Arthur Titley Centre
September 28 – 30
October 25-26
November 25-16

ENDS

Media contact: Lucy Collier - 3035 6100