Georges River Council subsidises Pfizer vaccination clinic at Hurstville Aquatic Leisure Centre

General manager Gail Connolly said the council responded to the Georges River LGA being declared an area of concern and stepped up its efforts to get COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of locals.

"As part of supporting the Australian and New South Wales Governments' efforts to distribute COVID-19 vaccines in Greater Sydney, Georges River Council has partnered with the private provider Sonic Healthcare and St John Ambulance to bring a Pfizer (Comirnaty) vaccination clinic to the LGA and has subsidised its operation at Council's Hurstville Aquatic Leisure Centre (HALC)," she said.

"As of 30 August 2021, over 12,100 doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered from HALC. To illustrate the impact of this vaccination clinic, around 50 per cent of Georges River Council workers had received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine before being established. However, in only seven days since being established, 84 per cent of Council officers have now received a first dose."

Ms Connolly said as part of the soft opening on 20 August, Sonic Healthcare invited local authorised and essential workers and emergency responders to get a jab to kickstart the operation of the clinic and residents aged 16-39 from all declared local government areas (LGAs) of concern in Greater Sydney.

"People in the Georges River Council LGA have been able to access the Pfizer vaccine from HALC since 23 August 2021," she said.

"In addition to the Pfizer vaccination clinic at HALC, Council's efforts to help protect the community from COVID-19 continue at the walk-in AstraZeneca vaccination clinic that council also established at the Hurstville Entertainment Centre (HEC). This clinic is a partnership between the council and the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (NSW Health).

"While people need to book an appointment via Sonic Healthcare's website to obtain the Pfizer vaccine from HALC, the AstraZeneca vaccine can be obtained without an appointment by simply walking in at HEC. Council has also provided staff to ensure that language interpretation services are available at both vaccination clinics for people who speak a community language other than English."

Ms Connolly said all residents above 16 years of age from LGAs of concern now have access to a vaccine. "Council strongly encourages residents to visit either HALC or HEC to get vaccinated and be protected from COVID-19," she said.