Young COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Clinic's Dr Asitha Wickramaratne (Dr Wick) has said the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine in the Hilltops has seen more locals coming forward to get the jab but he is encouraging more to get vaccinated.
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According to Dr Wick the uptake from the Hilltops community over the last couple of weeks has been very pleasing with the clinic almost reaching its capacity for daily vaccinations.
"Young Vaccination hub is currently rolling our Pfizer vaccine to the Hilltops region, we are getting close to our capacity of doing 200 doses per day," Dr Wick said.
"The uptake from the community as been great in the past three weeks."
Dr Wick is encouraging all eligible locals, not matter their age, ethnicity, religion or background to come forward and get their free vaccine, stressing the virus can affect anyone.
"Young is a multi-cultured regional town with many ethnic groups, I would like to encourage all eligible people, belonging to any ethnic group, religion or nationality to please book in for the vaccine," he said.
"The vaccine is free for everyone even if you don't have Medicare."
Dr Wick has also stressed that the risks to those who take the vaccine are worth the reward not only to themselves but to the whole community.
"You are more than 100 times more likely to develop a new cancer than to get the rare clotting complication of the COVID vaccine," he said.
"There is and always will be risk in every day of our lives. Smart people just minimise it."
Dr Wick believes the only way the community will stay safe is if more locals take up the vaccine.
"The only way for us to stay safe as a town is to reach a vaccination rate of 90 per cent," Dr Wick said.
Dr Wick also wanted to make the point to locals that there is a single correlation between deaths and hospitalisation of patients who have contracted COVID-19.
"I would also like to point out that the deaths, hospitalised and dreadfully unwell patients due to COVID-19 all have one thing in common - they have not been fully vaccinated."
To book in to get your vaccine call 63821599 or jump online and book in through www.hotdoc.com.au or alternatively locals can book in with their General Practitioner to discuss and access the vaccine.
Visit www.health.nsw.gov.au for more info.
