EDITORIAL: Albany community given golden opportunity to take big leap forward in race to vaccinate the State

If you still have not had your first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, now is the time to get the jab done.

There is a community vaccination blitz running in Albany on Friday and Saturday.

Protecting yourself and your community from this virus has never been easier.

Only weeks ago, the Great Southern was leading the way for COVID vaccination in regional WA.

But our region has dropped behind the South West with 6330 doses per 10,000 people compared to their 6874.

Overall, WA has just reached a fully vaccinated rate of 50 per cent for eligible West Australians aged 16 or over.

That is a significant milestone but we are still lagging behind the rest of the country.

Our first dose rate is about 69 per cent — compare that to the ACT’s first dose rate of about 97 per cent.

This Friday and Saturday, anyone aged 12 and over can get the Pfizer COVID vaccine at the old Bunnings site on Albany Highway.

The younger ones need parental consent but if you are 16 or over, you can simply walk in and get vaccinated.

Premier Mark McGowan has been consistent about WA setting a date to open to international travel once our fully vaccinated rate is 80-90 per cent.

In this Albany COVID vaccination blitz, we have been handed a golden opportunity to take a giant leap forward in the race to vaccinate our State.

For details, see this report from Tuesday’s Advertiser.

To book a vaccination, click here.