THE first COVID-19 vaccination hubs in NSW became operational at Liverpool, Royal Prince Alfred and Westmead hospitals on Monday, but it is not yet clear when the rollout will begin in the Hunter.
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John Hunter Hospital will be among the state's 11 initial vaccination hubs charged with distributing the vaccine as the rollout continues, but NSW Health could not yet confirm when the region would receive its first doses.
NSW Health said in the next three weeks, 35,100 frontline workers would receive their first vaccination, followed by a second vaccination three weeks later.
The Newcastle Herald understands some of the Hunter's healthcare workers with the greatest risk of exposure to potential COVID-19 patients will travel to the Sydney hubs in the coming weeks to receive their first dose.
"The initial three-week vaccination phase will see hotel quarantine workers given the Pfizer vaccine - including all workers within quarantine hotels, those screening arrivals at the airport, health staff, cleaners, NSW Police officers and security guards," a NSW Health statement said.
Monday marked 36 days with no reported locally acquired cases in NSW.
"There is still a risk of COVID-19 spreading into the community given that new cases are regularly detected among overseas arrivals," NSW Health said.
"It is critical that everyone continues to come forward for testing if they have even the mildest of symptoms."
The state's ongoing sewage surveillance program has detected traces of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the Glenfield treatment plant, which serves more than 161,000 people in south-western Sydney.
"People who have recently recovered from COVID-19 can sometimes continue to shed virus fragments into the sewerage system for several weeks even after they are no longer infectious," NSW Health says.
"While there are a number of recently recovered cases in this area, NSW Health is encouraging everyone to be vigilant for any symptoms of COVID-19 and to get tested immediately and isolate if they appear."
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Anita Beaumont
Anita Beaumont is a health and general news reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
Anita Beaumont is a health and general news reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
