Tamworth Pfizer pop-up clinics: almost 900 immunised on first day of Royal Flying Doctor Service clinic

Hundreds of people waited patiently for up to an hour at the Royal Flying Doctor and Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service clinic held at Tamworth Sports Dome.

With the school holidays in full-swing, and children aged 12 to 18 now eligible to get vaccinated, the region's younger generation were out in full force to roll up their sleeves.

At the end of the day 890 people were immunised and Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson congratulated the community on turning up.

"I think it's fantastic to see so many young people, they made up the majority today, a significant percentage of today's people vaccinated were young," he said.

"It was really heartening to see so many Indigenous people come out as well, and reports are that the majority were from Tamworth."

Mum Rebecca Boresch was lined up early with her young girls, and said "they need to be vaccinated to go back to school".

Fellow parent Kylie Barnett said she was getting vaccinated so she could take her children to community sport.

Others, such as local Joshua Cripps, decided to cancel their existing Pfizer bookings and get in for a jab earlier at the walk-up hub.

"I had it booked in for November, but decided to just get it today and cancel that appointment," he told the Leader.

"I think my work will make it mandatory."

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The clinics will continue on Wednesday at the West Tamworth Leagues Club and Thursday at the Tamworth Youthie in Coledale from 9:30am to 4pm.

They will then move to the region's smaller villages, including Barraba's Bicentennial Hall on October 1; Soldiers Memorial Hall in Manilla on October 2; and Nundle Memorial Hall on October 3 from 10:30am to 3:30pm.

Any person aged 12 and older will be eligible to receive either their first or second shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the pop up clinics.

At a walk-up AstraZeneca hub at the Sports Dome earlier this month, only 253 took advantage, despite the 1000 doses on offer.

This week the Tamworth LGA hit a vaccination milestone, with more than 80 per cent of the population having received their first dose and half the population fully vaccinated.

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