Paige shows the way with vaccine jab

CLARENCE City Council expects to be vaccinating hundreds more kids next week after its first meningococcal clinic was booked out in an hour.

The council’s 60 available spots at a specially arranged clinic yesterday were snapped up after hundreds of phone calls from anxious parents.

Environmental Health Officer Ron Vanderwal expects to be running extra clinics again next Tuesday and Thursday, this time for more than 60 patients at each session.

“We put it online and they were gone in an hour,” Mr Vanderwal told the Mercury.

“We’re receiving numerous phone calls from the community asking what’s happening.

“(The State Government’s first stage) is only for the northern suburbs so we’re looking at the potential need for even setting up another clinic again next Thursday.”

Vaccine availability was tight initially, but the State Government has ordered more than 90,000 doses in its response to the state’s five recent cases, which included the death of 16-year-old Sarah Rose Beltz.

Eight-year-old Lindisfarne girl Paige Amos was among the first to receive her vaccine, bravely agreeing to her jab in front of the Mercury’s camera.

She admitted to a few nerves but was keen to tell other kids they’ll be OK.

“It hurts a little bit. It’s not much to worry about,” she said.

Dad Bruce Amos said the recent cases had worried him.

“It does when you see it take over people’s bodies like that,” Mr Amos said.

“It’s a terrible bacterial infection.

“I’d do anything to protect Paige.”

Bookings for Clarence City Council’s vaccination clinics can be made on 6217 9500 during business hours.