Gloucester is about to get another vaccination centre with Gloucester Max Value Pharmacy getting the approval to provide the AstraZeneca jab.
Pharmacist, Li Meng Wong has been working toward being able to provide the community with the option to vaccinate since the roll out began, however, pharmacies nationwide have only recently been given the green light by Prime Minister, Scott Morrison.
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At a State level, NSW Health began a trial program on July 1 at 22 pharmacies across regional and rural NSW, which included Dungog and Old Bar.
But it wasn't until the PM's announcement on July 22, that Gloucester's pharmacy was able to kick things into high gear.
"We started taking the names of people who were interested in getting vaccinated," Li explained. "We have close to 50 people on the list. That's a good sign."
Li and her staff are now in the process of contacting those people, with the pharmacy due to receive its first delivery of 200 doses on Friday August 27.
"I'm being very conservative with my ordering. I don't want to waste any," Li said.
Related: Is Gloucester prepared for COVID?
Making sure she gets every last dose into an arm is her top priority. Each vile contains nine to 10 doses and once mixed for use, it has a lifespan of 48 hours when kept in the fridge.
Li plans to set up the appointments to ensure each mixed batch gets used in time.
"That's very important to me. The aim to get out of this is to get everyone vaccinated and we can't do this if we're wasting doses," she said.
The pharmacy is already set up with a vaccination area as it provides the community with the annual flu shot.
Li is getting her staff all trained up with the COVID vaccine procedure which requires paperwork and more time for the vaccinated person to sit after getting the shot.
Li is both nervous and excited about being able to offer this service to her community.
And like many healthcare professionals at the moment, she's tired. For many regional communities, the weight of the COVID vaccine roll out has fallen on the shoulders of small health businesses who aren't staffed for the additional workload.
But they continue to push on to help protect their communities.
"My aim is to keep the community safe and if I can be a part of the plan the make access to the vaccination easier, I want to be a part of it," Li said.
For Li, it's all about getting back to 'normal'.
According to Li, there is a lot of misinformation out there in regard to AstraZeneca, however, there is plenty of factual information available online if you visit the reputable health websites - like NSW Health or the Department of Health.
"Just because you've had blood cots before doesn't meant you can't have it. It's best to speak to your doctor," Li said.
Every person that gets the vaccine is given health information that identifies any signs of side effects and when it's important to seek medical help.
Gloucester pharmacy is in the process of setting up an online booking system - check out the Facebook page to see when it's ready. If you want to get your name down sooner, it's best to call 6558 1043.
The same rules apply in regard to eligibly which can be checked via the Australian government health.gov.au eligibility checker.
Anne Keen
Anne has been a journalist with the ACM (Australia Community Media) since 2016. She primarily works at the Gloucester Advocate but also contributes to the Manning River Times.
Anne has been a journalist with the ACM (Australia Community Media) since 2016. She primarily works at the Gloucester Advocate but also contributes to the Manning River Times.
