Tamworth COVID-19 update: Oxley Police officers issue 72 fines to locals in breach of public health orders over weekend blitz

"It's an indication that whilst most people continue to do the right thing, we are continuing to see people who continue to breach those public health orders," Oxley police Superintendent Kylie Endemi said.

"Overnight we only had three infringement notices issued, one would hope that is a positive trend in the right direction."

The majority of cases include people leaving home without a reasonable excuse for doing so, Superintendent Endemi said.

"They are also at times travelling in a vehicle with people that they have no reasonable excuse to be in that vehicle with and are not wearing masks," she added.

But she said the increased visibility and ramped up police presence on the weekend could have also contributed to the spike.

"That figure covers the entire Oxley Police District, but I can indicate that we saw the most infringement notices across our main centres of Tamworth, Gunnedah and Narrabri," she said.

A VACCINATION awareness campaign will kick off across Tamworth, Gunnedah and Manilla this weekend to improve the region's COVID-19 immunisation rates.

Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said while it was pleasing that around half of people in the electorate had their first dose, it was time to "get cracking and get moving".

The campaign will include a 48-hour "vax-a-thon" in Tamworth on Saturday and Sunday and a "super Saturday vax blitz" in Gunnedah and Manilla.

In Gunnedah on Saturday the Barber Street Practice, Rural Health Centre and both pharmacies will be taking bookings all day.

While in Manilla on Saturday the Rural Health Clinic will be opening its doors for appointments, in a bid to help the electorate meet its target of 3000 vaccinations.

In Tamworth, 15 GP clinics and four pharmacies will be offering the jab.

"It's very clear there is a massive push to get vaccination numbers lifted right across our region," Mr Anderson added.

"It's clear that vaccination is going to be the key to freedom."

List of participating local pharmacies and GPs:

Saturday, August 28

Tamworth

Peel Health Care 8am-midday - Online bookings only

Windmill Practice - BOOKED OUT

The Belmore Surgery 9am-3pm - (02) 6762 7933

Smith Street Practice 9am-midday - Online bookings only

Northwest Health 9am-5pm - Online bookings only

Barton Lane Practice 1pm-4pm - Current waitlist only

Tamworth Respiratory Clinic 9am-5pm - Online bookings only

Discount Drug Store, Robert St 9am-2pm - Walk-ins available

Gunnedah

Barber Street Practice 9am-midday - (02) 6742 4466

Karen Carter Pharmacy 8.30am-4pm - Online bookings only

Discount Drug Store 10am-3pm - Online bookings only

Gunnedah Rural Health Centre Clinic 9am-5pm - (02) 6741 8000

Manilla

Rural Medical Clinic Manilla 9am-5pm (02) 6785 1095

Sunday, August 29

Tamworth

Northwest Health 9am-5pm - Online bookings only

MyGP Tamworth 9am-5pm - Online bookings only

Tamworth Respiratory Clinic 9am-5pm - Online bookings only

Only AstraZeneca vaccines will be available on the day.

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THE small town of Walcha is punching well above its weight when it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations, with almost half its population fully vaccinated.

The New England township has already had 49.2 per cent of its population receive their second dose, well above Tamworth's 20 to 29 per cent.

During a regional media briefing on Tuesday, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro congratulated the Walcha community for stepping up and getting the jab.

He also put the high vaccination uptake down to the town's elderly population, and the fact older age groups had access to the vaccine sooner.

"So I think that played a big part of it, but it's one thing to have access to it, but the population and the community actually stepped up and got vaccinated," he said.

"They didn't buy into some of the demonisation of vaccines, so you've got to give credit to the community that were given the opportunity and they had the access points to vaccination and they took the opportunity.

"We've had that in other areas where they've had the same opportunity, and the community hasn't stepped up, and in recent times, it's been because of the outbreak which maybe has caused some level of fear and anxiety and people have just decided to get vaccinated. "

Northern Tablelands communities Armidale, Moree and Glen Innes are also leading the way when it comes to vaccination rates, with a six per cent increase in uptake over the past week.

Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said mass vaccination hubs in Armidale, Inverell and soon Moree have provided increased opportunities to protect the community.

Two local government areas have more than a quarter of their population fully vaccinated - Armidale (26.7 per cent) and Moree (26 per cent).

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