113  Manilla Street
Manilla, 2346

COVID-19 Updates

26 June 2021 - NSW Lockdown

Please note that the NSW government extended new restrictions to regional NSW on 26 June 2021. Below is an outline of the restrictions care of ABC New England North West‘s Facebook page. Full details can be found here

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18 June 2021 - AstraZeneca Vaccines now available

The Rural Medical Clinic has received an allocation of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination clinics will start the week of 21st June 2021. We will be delivering the vaccines through scheduled clinics during our usual working hours, Monday to Friday, over the coming months.

As at the writing of this, it is the current Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advice that the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine is prioritised to patients 60 years and older. Those under 60 years should seek the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine.

If you have any concerns you wish to discuss, please arrange for an appointment with one of our friendly doctors prior to booking in for the vaccination. There will be no time allocated to discuss in-depth concerns during the vaccination clinic itself.

Please use the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker or call the COVID-19 vaccine help line on 1800 020 080 to find out when you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine, which one you should get, and how to locate your nearest vaccination clinic.

We will continue to identify patients who are eligible for vaccination in Phase 1b from our current patient list to invite you to be vaccinated at the clinic but please feel free to contact the surgery on 02 6785 1095 if you wish to express interest in receiving the vaccine prior to us contacting you. You will be placed on a waiting list and contacted with the time and date of your scheduled vaccination once clinics are finalised.

There is a limited number of appointments available each week, whilst we work to offer both the vaccine and continue business as usual, so please be patient with our team. We will also be prioritising those identified as highest medical risk so if you do not receive an appointment in the first few weeks, please just wait – we will get to everyone eventually.

We are currently in Phase 1b, meaning priority population groups include:

  • All adults aged 40-49
  • All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16 to 49
  • NDIS participants aged years 16 and over, and carers of NDIS participants of any age
  • Temporary visa holders aged under 50 years who are currently in Australia and have been approved for return travel to Australia through the travel exemption process.

This is in addition to the following people, who were already eligible for vaccination:

  • All adults aged 50 and over
  • Quarantine and border workers
  • Health care workers
  • Aged care and disability care residents and staff
  • People aged 16 and over with an underlying medical condition or significant disability
  • Critical and high risk workers aged 16 and over including defence, police, fire, emergency services and meat processing.
  • Individuals with an Australian Border Force outwards travel exemption in an eligible category

The information found at the Australian Government Department of Health COVID-19 vaccines page provides further clarification on specific underlying medical conditions which are eligible under Phase 1b. Please be aware that this guidance may change as the roll out proceeds and any changes will be updated regularly.

Please also note that we will only be able to book patients who meet the eligibility criteria for each phase of the roll-out and that patients will need to prove their eligibility to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Phase 1b. Further information can be found at the Australian Government Department of Health COVID-19 vaccines page.

The Australian Government aims to have as many people vaccinated as possible in 2021. Identified priority groups will get the first available safe and effective doses of vaccines. More people will have access to a vaccine as more doses become available throughout 2021. The COVID-19 Vaccines National Rollout Strategy details the phases in which vaccines will be available.

We’ll continue to provide more information and updates as they become available. To stay up to date, please like our page on Facebook Rural Medical Clinic, Manilla and visit the website regularly. Thank you for your patience during this time.