KIDS GET THEIR SHOT
VAX OPENS TO 12-15 YEAR OLDS TEENS DEFY ANTI-VAX PARENTS
CHILDREN aged between 12 and 15 will be eligible for Pfizer vaccines from September 13 through their GPs.
From Monday in Tasmania young people aged between 16 and 29 can book appointments for the Covid-19 jabs, with a marketing campaign to support the state’s vaccination blitz to kick off this weekend.
From Saturday Hobart’s MAC 02 super vax clinic will be running at full capacity, jabbing 2000 people in quick succession over the course of two days with health authorities saying there are plenty of appointments in coming weeks.
Meanwhile, youths say they are defying anti-vax parents and rolling up their sleeves to do their bit.
YOUNG people are next in line for the state’s vaccine blitz, with those aged 16 to 29 becoming eligible for Pfizer on Monday.
A government marketing campaign aimed specifically at that age bracket will launch this weekend, encouraging young people to get their jabs as soon as they can.
Health department secretary Kathrine MorganWicks said there were still open slots all across the state for young people.
“With all Tasmanians aged 16 years and over now able to make an appointment, our message is simple: don’t wait, vaccinate,” Ms Morgan-Wicks said.
“If you are in this age group, please do not be complacent and please do not hesitate to get a booking.”
From Saturday, Hobart’s
MAC02 super vax clinic will be running at full capacity, jabbing 2000 people over the course of two days.
The super vax clinic is already fully booked, however another one will open in Burnie on September 11 and 12 with appointments available now on the state government website.
Premier Peter Gutwein said the government also would rapidly increase the number of hotel quarantine spots in order to brace for more returnees from the mainland.
“If you’re coming out of Victoria there is an opportunity to quarantine at home, because that’s currently at risk level two. NSW is far more problematic,” Mr Gutwein.
“At the moment we’re looking to double our hotel quarantine so that more Tasmanians can come home.”
Mr Gutwein said while the
Covid-19 Delta strain is expected to reach Tasmania in time, he was confident systems in place would help mitigate disaster.
He would not rule out lockdowns but said if vaccination targets were reached, they may become a thing of the past.
“If we were to have a Delta outbreak here in Tasmania we would deal with it and our economy would move on,” he said.
“I would hope that lockdowns would be a thing of the past once vaccination rates reach 80 per cent (vaccinated).”
However 80 per cent vaccination rates remain a distant goal, with fewer than 35 per cent of Tasmanians fully vaccinated at time of writing.
More than 50 per cent of Tasmanians have had at least one dose, and by the end of the six-week blitz the government hopes to get the vaccination rate up to 60 per cent.