NORTHERN BEACHES RESIDENTS URGED TO GIVE SMITHFIELD A SHOT

A NEW vaccination clinic on the northern beaches is expected to ease pressure on Cairns’ vaccine services.

The new clinic was opened this week at JCU Smithfield campus in the A2 block next to the dental clinic.

Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service vaccine program executive director Don Mackie said the new clinic would be able to provide 300 Covid vaccines a day.

“We started off doing vaccinations based in Cairns Hospital as a centralised location, then we opened Cairns South (at Edmonton) which has been very successful,” he said.

“We were hearing people from the northern beaches were driving as far as Mossman to get vaccinated so it was clear we needed another community hub and this collaboration with JCU made sense as the best choice.

“As part of opening this clinic up we’ll be ramping down activity at Cairns

Hospital so some people booked for their second jab will have it reallocated here.”

Dr Mackie said the health service had administered more than 50,000 doses of the Covid vaccine.

“This is a tremendous milestone for the health service since our vaccination program began in February,” he said.

“There is clearly a lot of people wanting to protect our community from Covid-19 by getting vaccinated and we thank them for doing the right thing.”

Redlynch woman Tammy Allen got her first Pfizer jab at the site on Thursday and said it was a great opportunity for people in northern Cairns to get vaccinated.

“It’s very convenient for people who live and work up here,” she said.

Vaccination program director Kelly Pollock said the new clinic would initially be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

“Once we have increased our vaccine supply and adequate staffing numbers, we may look to extend the operating days of our newest clinic,” she said.

Bookings are essential and no walk-in appointments are available at the new clinic.

■ Queensland shut the border to NSW at 1am on Friday as the situation in Sydney causes concern.