Tasmania has reached another important marker in the ongoing fight against COVID-19, with over 100,000 doses of the vaccine now administered to Tasmanians.
This is one of the largest health logistical exercises in our State’s history and the progress so far is a credit to all involved, and to all those Tasmanians who have rolled up their sleeve to be vaccinated.
Tasmanians are leading the way in Australia’s vaccination effort – with 19 per cent of our State’s population having received their first vaccination, compared to the current national total of 13 per cent.
Our phased rollout strategy has seen us focus on protecting our oldest and most vulnerable Tasmanians first and I’m pleased to say that around half of all Tasmanians aged 70 years and over have already received their first dose. Almost 30 per cent of those aged 50 years and over have received their first dose.
It’s now been 12 months since Tasmania last recorded a case of COVID-19 in our community, and with the vaccination program tracking well, we are in a good place.
However, with the pandemic still raging in other parts of the world, we will continue to step through the vaccination program sensibly and responsibly to ensure we can keep Tasmanians safe.
From today, 93 Tasmanian GPs will be open to Tasmanians aged 50 years and over, meaning more people will be able to go to their GP for a vaccine.
This means if you are 50 years and over, you will have three options to make a vaccination appointment: at a participating GP, a GP Respiratory Clinic or one of our Tasmanian Government community clinics.
Over the next few weeks we will also have access to more Pfizer doses, allowing us to offer the vaccine in more locations around the State, not just in our city hospital hubs.
There are appointments available across the State for everyone who is eligible and I encourage you to call the Public Health Hotline or visit the coronavirus website to find out where you can get your free vaccine.
The priority right now continues to be those over 50, and those working in frontline and high risk settings, and we will communicate with Tasmanians before and during each phase of the rollout to ensure they know when and where they can be vaccinated when it’s their turn.