More than 2000 Pfizer jabs in arms as three-day Royal Flying Doctor Service Gunnedah vaccination blitz wraps up

The Royal Flying Doctor Service's (RFDS) travelling clinic saw 2442 Pfizer vaccinations administered from Monday to Wednesday in a welcome boost for the town.

On Monday, people began queuing from 6:45am with wait times up to three hours and 972 jabs in arms at the end of the day.

Tuesday was another big day of vaccinations, with 828 people jabbed, and on Wednesday another 642 took advantage.

While the numbers did drop each day, Gunnedah mayor Jamie Chaffey said that was "a great sign" because it showed those who wanted to receive the vaccination had every opportunity.

"So whilst we've had a lot more capacity in vaccine and in workforce to give the vaccine than what we've actually given out, it's great to see more than 2000 have been given," he said.

"And also it proves a point that because we've had so much capacity, anyone who wanted to receive a Pfizer vaccination has had every opportunity to do so."

Tamworth residents were also among those vaccinated in Gunnedah, and while it was initially discouraged, Cr Chaffey said he was pleased the wider region could also take advantage.

"The proof will be in the results once all the data has been calculated, but being there almost every hour that it was open over the three days, I can certainly attest to the fact that there were a lot of local faces there," he said.

"I'm aware of people coming from all directions - north, south, east and west to take the opportunity and many of those people have come from the Tamworth local government area.

"But overwhelmingly the biggest numbers I'm anticipating would've come from the Gunnedah Shire."

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Gunnedah's Winanga-Li Aboriginal Child and Family Centre played a huge role in making the clinics possible, and volunteers from Gunnedah SES and Gunnedah Rotary Club helped coordinate over the three days.

A follow up clinic will be held in the town in early October.

The RFDS clinic now hits the road to vaccinate the region's smaller villages and will be at Mullaley Hall on Thursday and Curlewis Hall on Friday, from 10am to 4pm.

It will then tour the Liverpool Plains, setting up at Werris Creek's Railway Hall on Saturday and Quirindi High School on Sunday from 10.30am to 3.30pm.

Next week, it kicks off a three-day vaccination blitz in Moree at the Moree Showground from Tuesday 21 September to Thursday 23 September from 8.30am to 4pm.

It then heads to the North Star Sporting Club on Friday 24 September, Warialda Showground on Saturday 25 September and Bingara Showground on Sunday 26 September from 10.30am to 3.30pm.

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