HEALTHCARE workers will get the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Dubbo on March 22
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The regional roll out was announced by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Monday.
Western NSW Local Health District Chief Executive Scott McLachlan said the Australia Government had developed a schedule that would see the most at-risk groups receive the vaccine as soon as possible.
"Phase 1a includes healthcare workers who work in areas such as emergency departments and intensive care units. It also includes aged care residents, including those living in our Multipurpose Service (MPS) facilities. Phase 1b includes all other healthcare workers.
"For our healthcare workers, we will have fixed clinics in Orange and Dubbo taking bookings from 22 March, with the Bathurst clinic opening the following day.
"We will also have two mobile clinics in operation from 22 March that will visit all our smaller health facilities over the coming weeks.
"The vaccination requires two injections at least twelve weeks apart, so those clinics will be booking staff in for both their appointments.
"Our clinics will be providing the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. Both the current vaccines are very effective, and Oxford/AstraZeneca offers advantages for our District given the challenges of distance."
Mr McLachlan said it was an 'exciting development'.
"Our staff, and our communities have, had been incredible in taking action to minimise the spread of COVID-19, and we all want the vaccination program to be a success.
"We're fortunate to have the vaccine available and it will be a relief for our healthcare workers to have this extra layer of protection.".
In announcing the roll out to regional areas Ms Berejiklian said they had identified 99 hubs and spokes throughout regional NSW.
"We aim to have 80,000 jabs take place in NSW over the next three weeks.
"Of that, 35,000 will be the second of the first jab, with Pfizer you need the second jab, and there will also be 45,000 people getting it for the first time.
"Out of that 45,000, 30,000 will be AstraZeneca and the balance will be Pfizer."
The regional roll out will start on March 22 with Dubbo Hospital, Bathurst, Orange, Cobar, Gilgandra, Gulargambone, Gosford, Wagga Wagga and Broken Hill.
Griffith and Port Macquarie will receive the vaccine on the 24th, followed by Tamworth on the 29th, Mr Hazzard said.
"We continue to do all we can here in NSW to support the roll out of the vaccine across the broader regional areas as well as the city areas to make sure all of our health staff are vaccinated."
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