CONFUSION surrounds the number of Sunraysia residents who have been fully or partly vaccinated against COVID-19 as hundreds of people queued for coronavirus tests in Mildura on Sunday and Monday.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Federal Health Department, which captures vaccination data across the country, said local government area data was “not currently available”.
Sunraysia residents have had access to the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine in Mildura since April and the Pfizer vaccine since June, but it was unclear how many people had had the jab.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper said the data should be made available.
“Knowledge is power,” she said.
“At a time when transparency is extremely important, I don’t understand the reasoning why they are keeping this information secret.”
Vaccination data was a “powerful tool” community leaders could use to encourage people to get vaccinated, she said.
If rates were going well, it would provide the community with something to “celebrate and be proud of”, and if rates were down “it would prompt us as a community to ask why”.
The data may also “give (the community) an extra lever” to lobby for additional resources and vaccine supplies, she said.
Head of Operation COVID Shield Lieutenant General John Frewen was “undertaking a review of the vaccine data” and “further data will be made available in due course”, the Health Department spokesperson said.
Sunraysia Daily has captured a partial snapshot of vaccine rates in the area by contacting the largest vaccine providers.
As of Friday, Sunraysia Community Health Services (SCHS) had administered 1678 first and second-dose vaccinations.
One of the largest GP clinics, Lime Medical, which has access to both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, has managed more than 2000 first and second doses since April.
Mallee District Aboriginal Services had given 923 Pfizer jabs and 350 AstraZeneca jabs as of Monday.
Mildura has a population of more than 32,000.
These figures do not include a number of smaller clinics offering the jab, but appear to fall below the national average. By Sunday, 35 per cent of Australia’s population had received a first vaccine dose and 13.7 per cent had received two doses.
Eight clinics in the region offer AstraZeneca to people aged 60 or over, nine clinics offer the vaccine to people aged 18 or over and one offers the jab to people aged 50 or over.
Four clinics offer the Pfizer jab, but SCHS was not offering new bookings as of July 6 due to “lack of supply”.
Doctors report take-up of vaccinations has been good, and vaccine hesitancy had gone down following two positive coronavirus cases in Mildura this week.
“People are running around trying to get appointments,” said Dr John Dyson-Berry of Lime Medical Clinic.
“I know people who were really anti (vaccination) who are now trying to get it.”
