The Wollondilly Shire borders Covid-19 hotspots such as Campbelltown and Penrith and is an important buffer between Greater Sydney and the regions.
But its access to vaccines is very limited in most local communities across the Shire.
Now Wollondilly Mayor Robert Khan is calling on the State and Federal Governments to urgently provide priority access to vaccines for Wollondilly residents, including the establishment of both a local vaccination hub and mobile centres.
He says that many residents are having to wait months for appointments and are having to travel out of the area to secure an appointment for a vaccine, while local clinics with vaccine supplies are being pushed to the limit due to the increasing demand.
“The Wollondilly community has responded positively to the call to join the race to vaccinate; but many who want to get the jab have had to join a long waiting list for a local appointment,’’ says Cr Khan.
“Our existing centres need an increased supply of Pfizer for our younger residents, while AstraZeneca also needs to be more widely available across the Shire.
“Those clinics that already have access to the vaccines need much more support to keep them running at capacity,” he said.
“It is clear that we need a new dedicated hub for the region, potentially based in Wollondilly or Camden, as well as pop-up or mobile vaccination centres in our Wollondilly towns to support the vulnerable and those who are less able to travel.
“I would also like to see Wollondilly residents be given access to priority Pfizer bookings like those in Camden and Campbelltown local government areas.
“Council is keen to provide whatever support we can to make this happen.
We all need to work together to look after our community throughout the pandemic,” he said.
