Young people aged 12 and over, considered potential COVID “super spreaders” due to their social natures, are being urged to get vaccinated as part of a Queensland-wide blitz this weekend.
The Super Saturday vaccination push will include pop-up vaccination clinics at up to 100 high schools across the state, in addition to existing community vaccination locations.
SCHHS Health Incident Sector Commander for COVID prevention, Karen Adcock, told Sunshine Coast News that the high schools involved in our region were Beerwah, Nambour, Maroochydore, Coolum, Noosa and Chancellor.
Ms Adcock said they would be open between 9.30am and 2.30pm and teens could just walk on in, along with other family members or members of the public who wanted to receive their first dose.
“We are really hopeful that we can get 200-plus young people coming in at every school,” she said.
“It’s so important that we are ready for when the borders open.
“Teenagers are super spreaders because they are so social, so we really need to make sure our youth are safe and protected.”
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Ms Adcock described the prospect of borders opening prior to Christmas as a “double-edged sword”.
She said that while it was going to be wonderful that families and friends could be reunited, it was going to be “a vulnerable time if people have not stepped up to protect themselves”.
The main community vaccination hub for the Coast is now the Caloundra Indoor Stadium, which resumed operations on Friday, October 8, and will be open until December 9.
Authorities had hoped it would see an average of 2000 doses a day delivered, but to date the average is sitting at 1190 a day.
Ms Adcock said this was good, but the facility had the capacity to do so much more.
The Sunshine Coast is sitting fifth in Queensland when it came to vaccination rates, according to latest figures.
Currently, 73.6 per cent of Coast residents have received the first dose, and 58.4 per cent are fully vaccinated.
The areas with better rates are Central West (77.1 and 68), Metro North (76.8 and 62.6), South West (75.2 and 66.2) and Metro South (74.2 and 57.2).
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the school pop-up clinics would be available across multiple regions this Saturday, with a focus on areas with low vaccination uptake.
“We need Queenslanders to vaccinate before it’s too late,” the Premier said.
“Vaccinations are the key to saving lives and reuniting Queenslanders with their friends and family.
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“We’re working hard to make it as quick and easy as possible for all Queenslanders to get vaccinated.
“That’s why we’re establishing vaccination clinics at dozens of schools right throughout the state.
“Super Saturday is our largest vaccine push to date. If you’ve been saying you’ll just wait a bit before getting the vaccine – it’s time for you to come forward and get vaccinated now.”
