Dubbo Hospital is among 11 hospitals named COVID-19 vaccine hubs

NSW Health says vaccination hubs for phase 1a of the rollout will likely involve six Sydney hospitals as well as Newcastle, Wollongong, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo and Wagga Wagga hospitals.

There are five phases of the rollout with 1a focused on quarantine and border workers, healthcare worker priority groups, and aged care and disability staff and residents.

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In Dubbo on Friday, Regional Health Minister and Parkes MP Mark Coulton said he was "really pleased" that the city's public hospital was at the forefront of the rollout.

"Dubbo is very well cemented as a regional health location now," he said.

"Dubbo and Wagga Wagga in Western NSW are the two places that have been chosen by NSW to be those hubs.

"They'll have the facilities to store that Pfizer vaccine at minus 70."

The minister was speaking during a visit to Orana Mall Pharmacy where he announced 400 more pharmacies could apply for funding from the federal government's Regional Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance program.

Mr Coulton also suggested that pharmacies might be able to get involved in the vaccine rollout from phase 2a .

It covers adults aged from 60 to 69, adults aged 50 to 59, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 18 to 54, and more "critical and high-risk workers".

Australia has entered into agreements to buy the Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford/AstraZeneca and Novavax vaccines.

The Pfizer vaccine should be available in Australia from late February.

The Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine may arrive in March.

NSW Health advises of "limited doses" in the first few months of the rollout.

"NSW Health staff have now been advised priority will be applied to frontline staff in the federal government's rollout of the vaccination program," a NSW Health spokesman said. "

The focus will be those staff most likely to come into contact with COVID-positive patients."

The frontline workers to be vaccinated under phase 1a will include emergency department doctors and nurses and possibly support staff such as cleaners.

More healthcare workers will be vaccinated under phase 1b.

The phases of the vaccination program can be found at www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines/getting-vaccinated-for-covid-19/who-will-get-the-vaccines#covid19-vaccine-national-rollout-phases .

Mr Coulton said the federal Health Department was working with the states, pharmacy and GP organisations "to make sure when we roll this out it is done as smoothly as possible".

He says the 154 respiratory clinics set up by the federal government, including one in Dubbo, may support the rollout.

"My feeling is it will take most of 2021 to cover the country," he said.

"We're probably only a matter of weeks away from the first Australians receiving the jab."