People continue to get the jab in the North West with almost 13,000 COVID vaccines now administered into arms across the region.
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Speaking to the North West Star, North West Hospital and Health Services COVID vaccination coordinator Toby Wicks said.12,671 vaccines were administered as of Friday.
"Since the start of August we've done around 3000 doses and there are still 11 days in the month to go," Mr Wicks said.
Mr Wicks said this figure doesn't include vaccines administered by GPs and pharmacies in the region.
"But for every 100 citizens, about 65 vaccines have been administered," he said.
"We are at 38.7pc covered for all NWHHS postcodes for single vaccinations, for Queensland 44.4pc and the national average is just over 50pc."
Mr Wicks said those figures didn't reflect the true demographic in the region.
"In the North West we've got 19,500 residents above the age of 16 who are eligible for a vaccinations, but this time of year there are tourists in our region as well as FIFO workers make that number higher and has impact on our progress," he said.
"We are giving more than we are getting."
Mr Wicks said 21.2pc of the population are now doubly vaccinated.
Mr Wicks was appointed to the role of vaccine coordinator earlier this year with a vaccine hub first opening at the hospital in March before moving to its current home in the Civic Centre.
"The NWHHS looks after health care services across the North West and part of that is delivering the vaccine," he said,
"While I'm not on the floor vaccinating, I'm putting in place processes to enable vaccinations at places like the Civic Centre here.
We also visited all 15 locations in the North West including places like Urandangi and Gregory Downs that don't have NWHHS facilities."
As a result places like Burketown are 84pc single vaccinated while Dajarra is 65pc, and Mornington Island is 100pc.
Earlier this month federal statistics showed Outback Queensland to be among the lowest vaccinated regions in Australia though the North West chalked up 10,000 vaccinations around the same time.
Everyone over the age of 16 is eligible for a vaccination.
"There's two ways to get a vaccination," Mr Wicks said.
"We prefer people to make appointments as there are periods of demands especially in the morning when we open up and there are 30-40 people here, but people can just rock up."
Mr Wicks said wait times have decreased and he encouraged people to get vaccinated.
He also reminded people to be considerate of staff while attending the clinic.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
