In a national first, South Australians living in regional areas aged 16 years and above will be able to get their COVID-19 vaccine through a regional vaccination clinic.
Premier Steven Marshall announced that, from tomorrow, eligible South Australians can book an appointment at one of the many regional SA Health-operated sites.
"Giving South Australians access to the COVID-19 vaccination is a vital part of the Government's plan to keep South Australia safe in response to the pandemic and this nation-leading move will further scale up the vaccination rollout across the state," said Premier Marshall.
"We want to maintain the momentum of the vaccination program where access is the biggest challenge - in rural and remote South Australia.
"We have established the clinical capacity in the regions, and now we are seizing this opportunity to maximise its impact.
"South Australia continues to vaccinate its population at the highest per capita rate of any mainland state, so it is fantastic to see the rollout is being extended to regional South Australians aged 16 years and older.
"By extending access to existing clinics, opening more clinics and boosting supplies of vaccines to our GPs, we are continuing to lead the nation with our vaccine rollout."
Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said bookings at the regional clinics will be offered through a booking system available through the SA Health website.
"Those eligible can identify clinics in their region online and schedule an appointment. We expect there to be very high levels of interest. We ask people to be patient. Should they not be able to secure their appointment at the time they are hoping for at their first attempt, please keep trying," said Minister Wade.
"More appointments will be added as more vaccines become available, while more clinics will be opened in regional areas, including Kangaroo Island.
"The expansion of our regional vaccine clinics is exciting and it affirms the South Australian response to the pandemic - that we are all in this together.
"The health of regional South Australians is at the forefront of our minds as we continue to deliver a safe and steady scale up of the vaccine rollout across the state."
Some regional clinics may only offer Pfizer, which is available to people aged under 50, while others may only offer AstraZeneca which is suitable for people aged 50 years and over.
Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, said it is a great opportunity for younger South Australians living in regional SA to roll up their sleeve and get vaccinated.
"Extending the rollout to regional South Australians will help us to further protect ourselves, our loved ones and our communities," Professor Spurrier said.
"The COVID-19 vaccine is voluntary, but highly recommended, because we know that vaccination is highly effective at preventing serious illness and death.
"We know that COVID-19 remains a threat to all of us, with increasing rates in many countries, even in some who showed initial good control, so we encourage everyone to get vaccinated when it's their turn."
COVID-19 vaccination bookings for clinics across the state are available via the SA Health website.
Find out more about COVID-19 vaccinations at covidvaccine.sa.gov.au.
