State Update - Jonty Bush - Member for Cooper

State Update Jonty Bush MP Member for Cooper

Vaccination

There is no time to wait. With the release of the Queensland Government’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan to Unite Families, we now know what restrictions will be in place when vaccination rates in our community reach 70%, 80% and 90%. While we’ve managed largely to keep COVID-19 at bay, this won’t always be the case. By Christmas, our borders will be relatively open, so if you haven’t already received your first dose of vaccine, please prioritise this, and if you have any hesitancies, please prioritise a conversation with one of our local health professionals. The process of getting vaccinated is not only safe and effective, but it is also quick and easy. Depending on where you get vaccinated, the process generally takes between 45 minutes and an hour. Pharmacists, doctors, and nurses are available and are best placed to respond to any concerns or questions you have.

Effectiveness Queensland Health Locations

All vaccines approved for use in Australia, including Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna are very effective at stopping us from becoming seriously ill if we catch COVID-19. The vaccines themselves have been assessed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and found to be safe and effective. This finding increases as we continue to rollout the vaccine in Australia and around the world. There have been more than 6 billion vaccine doses administered worldwide, around 2.5 billion people are now fully vaccinated. We know that the majority of hospital presentations for COVID are by those who are unvaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to reduce symptomatic disease and mortality, reduce the chance of onward transmission by almost 50%, and reduce the hospitalisation rates by over 90%.

Pharmacies

There are so many wonderful community pharmacies who have been working hard administering COVID-19 vaccinations. Many pharmacies in our area are now administering Moderna and AstraZeneca. I have recently visited a few of our local pharmacies, including Red Hill Day & Night and The Gap Day & Night both of which are receiving regular supplies of the vaccines. You can find the full list of pharmacies offering the vaccine on www.findapharmacy.com.au

Questions

Both myself and my team in the office are here to help you. Please give us a call on 3554 9100 or email us at cooper@parliament.qld.gov.au if you ever need any help getting vaccinated. Queensland Health has a range of vaccination locations across the state with hours and access options to suit you. Registering your interest for a COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to secure an appointment at a Queensland Health vaccination location. Once you have registered, you will be invited to book an appointment in your local area when appointments become available. Some locations are also offering walk-in appointments. I visited the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre hub in South Brisbane recently and was impressed by the efficiency. Free parking is also available which made the trip so much easier to organise. This hub is open from 7:30am-6:30pm, 7 days a week. Additionally, the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital is offering Pfizer and AstraZeneca and is open 8am-4pm Monday to Friday. You can book an appointment via www.health.qld.gov.au

Local General Practices

Many of our local GPs are offering Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca, so if you haven’t received your first dose yet please speak to your GP about whether they are offering the vaccine. The Government’s vaccine clinic finder shows which GP practices have online booking systems and has links to them. You can find the vaccine clinic finder on the Australian Government website via www. health.gov.au

Shop 2/230 Waterworks Road, Ashgrove Q 4060 t 3554 9100 e cooper@parliament.qld.gov.au f www.facebook.com/jontyforcooper