Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski has called on the Northern Beaches to be provided as a trial location for drive-through vaccination hubs under the Federal Governments Operation COVID Shield Plan.
The hubs will be rolled out across the country from next month under a program to dramatically improve access to Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
“When we locked down over Christmas and New Year the people of the Northern Beaches responded as only they can, and it worked. We need to incentivise people when they do the right thing, and we can do that now with a priority roll out here on the beaches.
“There are few places across the nation that have been hit harder than the Northern Beaches during this COVID-19 pandemic. We carried the country throughout Christmas and New Year.
“As hard as it was with families rent asunder over Christmas and New Year, good businesses becoming bad closed during their peak season. The health order, when complied with, worked,” Jason Falinski MP said.
The Northern Beaches are currently going through their third prolonged lockdown since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have had one of the highest turnouts in testing (including 130% of people in Belrose have been swabbed) despite having some of the lowest case numbers since the start of this recent outbreak.
“I am inundated with calls each and every day about vaccine appointments being cancelled or moved back due to the required reallocation of vaccines to hot spots in South West Sydney. We welcome the opportunity to do our bit.
“I call on General Frewen and the Operation COVID Shield Plan to consider the Northern Beaches as a priority location to host some of the first trial drive-through vaccine hubs in recognition of our efforts during this global pandemic.
“We have children not at school, people not at work, families separated, and good businesses going under. This is the relief we need. It is the silver lining for people of the Northern Beaches who have sacrificed so much.”
The Member for Mackellar has previously written to the Member for Wakehurst NSW Health Minister and Medical Research Hon. Brad Hazzard requesting a mass vaccination hub at Mona Vale Hospital on the Northern Beaches.