Riverina residents aged 40 to 49 are now eligible to receive the Pfizer injection, as the Murrumbidgee Local Health District reveals more than 5000 people in the region have been vaccinated.
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Len Bruce, executive director of MLHD's medical services, announced the update on Monday.
"We have passed 5000 vaccinations in the MLHD, which is a tremendous achievement," he said.
"It's a great day for us because we have now created the capacity to vaccinate 40 to 49-year-old patients with the Pfizer vaccine."
Dr Bruce urged those in the community who are eligible to book in for the vaccine.
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At Monday's press conference, he also announced that a Wagga resident quarantined in a Sydney hotel has tested positive for coronavirus.
Dr Bruce said the individual's listed address was Wagga but stressed that it is not a locally acquired case.
Emma Field, the COVID-19 coordinator for MLHD, said those in the now eligible age group 40 to 49 had a couple of options to access the vaccine.
"[They] can go to the Service NSW website and register their interest there, and then we recover those [people's information] through the NSW Government," she said.
"You can also go to the Heath Direct eligibility checker and go through a number of questions there and be reviewed there.
We have a self-service function on that particular website where you can directly book into one of our clinics at Wagga or Griffith, or alternatively, you can ring our hotline 1800 831 099."
Dr Bruce also encouraged those above the age of 50 to book their vaccination. He added it is the only strategy against the virus that forced the world into lockdown.
"We know if you are over the age of 50, the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, and the risk of serious, adverse effects are low," Dr Bruce said.
"The other important fact we need to remember is we have very clear treatment guidelines for patients if they are unlucky enough to develop one of these rare clots."
Dr Bruce said it is disappointing to see the reluctance among people over the age of 50 to get vaccinated, considering they are at a high risk of severe COVID complications.
He said they are looking to vaccinate between 700 and 1000 people each week.
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