COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Minister, will you update the council on how the government is making it easier for South Australians to access a COVID-19 vaccine?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:45): I thank the honourable member for his question. Throughout the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, SA Health, the State Controller and the Marshall Liberal government have remained flexible and agile to meet the needs of the South Australian community and the changing circumstances of the pandemic. We have helped create new pathways to access a COVID-19 vaccine by working with our community pharmacists to bring them on board and boost the vaccination workforce. We were the first state in Australia to activate community pharmacies in rural and regional areas.

We have continued to scale up vaccination clinics and open new clinics. We have recently launched a new fleet of mobile vaccination vans, which will hit the road across the state. We have commenced a school-based immunisation program. We are delivering outreach vaccination programs to work with hesitant communities and to reach pockets of the community with lower vaccination rates, such as the Islamic Society of South Australia, the African Women's Federation and the Australian Migrant Resource Centre.

We are working with a growing list of businesses to increase the vaccination rates in local government areas through the mobile vaccination program, in partnership with employers such as RM Williams, Drakes, Mitolo Farms and Thomas Foods. We have held our first super walk-in weekend, which saw thousands of South Australians rolling up their sleeves last weekend to be vaccinated.

We have opened additional clinics across the state that will accept walk-ins, including at the Myer Centre in Rundle Mall and the Pooraka food market. We have also opened our mass vaccination clinics at Noarlunga, Elizabeth and Wayville to walk-in appointments. We want to give every South Australian the opportunity to get vaccinated against this deadly virus.

Many of us have busy lives, family responsibilities, work and other commitments that can get in the way of making an appointment, so giving people the option to present without an appointment will make it easier for those with busy schedules to walk in at a time that suits them. Sometimes it is easier to turn up spontaneously. Thousands of people have walked in for their jabs already and we only expect the numbers of walk-ins to grow as South Australians are emboldened by our COVID-Ready plan that charts a clear path forward over the coming months. Vaccination is our pathway out of the pandemic.

South Australians have done a fantastic job in rolling up and getting vaccinated. There are now more than 2.1 million doses that have been administered, with around 80 per cent of South Australians aged 16 and over having received their first dose and more than 63 per cent of South Australians aged over 16 fully vaccinated.

It has never been easier to get vaccinated. It has never been more convenient. It has never been more timely. I want to thank everyone who has already rolled up to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community.