Tamworth COVID-19 vaccine rollout: health care workers aged over 50 across region in towns offered AstraZeneca jab during outreach

Hunter New England Health (HNEH) staff from Tamworth hospital's vaccination clinic went on roadtrips around the region this week, to offer health staff at smaller towns the chance to get the AstraZeneca jab.

A spokeswoman from HNEH told the Leader the "outreach" from Tamworth to rural areas had been offered at every location by Friday.

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That includes health workers in towns like Moree, Wee Waa, Narrabri, Mungindi, Warialda and Bingara in the western part of the health district.

Towns like Gunnedah, Walcha and Quirindi were also visited.

The HNEH spokeswoman confirmed the travelling vaccine team from Tamworth spent a day or two at each location, depending on the demand.

"All [HNEH] facilities in those areas have been given the opportunity to have an AstraZeneca vaccine," she said.

Tamworth's vaccination clinic was set up at the hospital specifically to immunise health care workers against the COVID-19 virus.

It's been open since late March, and has now also finished the "outreach" from the local base to surrounding hospitals and clinics.

The jab is only being offered to HNEH staff who are over the age of 50, after health advice regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine was handed down last month.

The spokeswoman confirmed HNEH could not provide data showing how many local health care workers had chosen to get the vaccine.

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