The Australian Government is ramping up the weekly number of doses of AstraZeneca being provided to general practices across the nation including including those in Cairns and Far North Queensland.
Participating general practices which have been receiving 50 doses per week, will now receive 150 doses per week, and general practices receiving 100 doses per week, will now receive 200 doses per week.
This will come into effect from next week.
Federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said the increased doses would give Cairns and Far North Queensland residents more choice and local GPs more capacity.
“The Australian Government is providing more vaccines to protect more Far North Queenslanders earlier,” Mr Entsch said.
“As we start the next steps of our vaccination program for people 50 years and over, we continue to ensure our priority populations can access the vaccine as soon as possible.”
“Primary care vaccination sites have now administered more than 1.2 million vaccinations – more than half the total so far.
“This is an amazing achievement in such a short amount of time and a true reflection of the capacity of the sector and the trust that Far North Queenslanders and Australians as a whole put into their GPs.
“To all Far North Queensland residents, please come forward and get vaccinated.
“It will help protect you, your family, your friends, your workmates, everybody. It will keep you, and the country COVID safe.”
Federal Health and Aged Care Minister Greg Hunt thanked GPs across the country for their work during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
“General practice is leading the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged 50 and over and will continue to be an integral partner in the delivery of our national COVID-19 vaccination program,” Mr Hunt said.
“Our government has brought forward to 17 May, access to AstraZeneca for people 50 years and over and I am pleased to announce that more than 800 general practices have elected to start earlier, reflecting the ongoing commitment of general practice to support their local communities.”
“This is in addition to the Commonwealth, State and Territory Vaccination Clinics which commenced vaccinating the over 50s on 3 May.
“I welcome their partnership in this early delivery of the AstraZeneca vaccine.”
For more information on the vaccine program, including vaccination sites near you, visit www.health.gov.au
