Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM has sent a video message to the Premier, the Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP and NSW Health Minister, the Hon Brad Hazzard MP, calling for a mass vaccination hub to be established in the Blacktown Local Government Area.
Mayor Bleasdale has said that Council will provide the venue and all non-medical staff at no cost to NSW Health.
"Premier, I am sending this message on behalf of 400-thousand residents. The City of Blacktown needs a mass vaccination hub.
"The Blacktown LGA is an area of concern, we are asked not to leave our area and we are under a night time curfew.
"We are constantly told we must all get vaccinated to end the lockdowns and I agree 100 per cent, but Blacktown City is the biggest local government area in New South Wales by population and it doesn't have a mass vaccination hub.
"Priority Pfizer appointments are available in Areas of Concern for all 16-to-39 year-olds at 15 locations, but not one is in Blacktown City.
"Increased vaccination bookings are available at 3 mass vaccination clinics, but not one is in Blacktown City.
'The Health website says free AstraZeneca vaccinations are available to community members aged 18 years and over at 5 walk-in vaccination centres in Western Sydney but none is in the Blacktown area of concern.'
Mayor Bleasdale, the Member for Greenway Michelle Rowland and the Member for Chifley Ed Husic have written to the Premier and the Health Minister on two occasions requesting that a mass vaccination hub be established in the Blacktown LGA, adding that Council would provide a venue and staff.
"The only reply we received was a standard letter from NSW Health saying basically 'thanks, but no thanks.'" Mayor Bleasdale said.
"It's not easy to get to Homebush or Penrith Panthers - it's up to 30-kilometres away for some residents.
"We have a lot of pharmacies, GPs and a handful of pop-up, special community clinics, working hard to provide vaccinations. But it's not enough.
"A mass vaccination hub could deliver all those extra vaccinations and go a long way in Blacktown City meeting those vaccination targets of 70 and 80 per cent.
"In the meantime, I call on all of our residents to stick to the Public Health Orders, stay at home, wear a mask, get tested if you have any symptoms, get vaccinated and don't meet up with friends." Mayor Bleasdale concluded.
Mayor's video message:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I1a262M8gWRcjA7VKnQffznHhxBVTwNW/view?usp=sharing
