The Tasmanian Greens support calls for a permanent COVID-19 vaccination clinic to be set up in North West Tasmania.
Vaccination is an essential step to protecting our community against COVID-19. The Victorian outbreak happening now is a stark reminder we cannot be complacent, and it’s crucial for the vaccine rollout to be fast and comprehensive in Tasmania.
To have people vaccinated quickly, we need to make sure vaccination clinics are realistically accessible to everyone, no matter where they live. This is not the situation for people living in the North West at the moment.
The fact that people – including frontline health care workers – have been told they’ll have to drive from the North West to Launceston to get vaccinated is not acceptable. It’s unfair and unreasonable to expect people to spend the time and money driving for hours to get vaccinated.
The Greens support residents of the North West, and the Health and Community Services Union, who are calling for a permanent vaccination hub to be established in Burnie.
We urge the Government to do more to support people across all regional areas to access the vaccine, including expanding mobile clinics.
It’s crucial all Tasmanians can access the COVID vaccine when it becomes available for their demographic group, and the Government must do everything it can to make sure Tasmanians can stay safe during this evolving global pandemic.
