ISLHD media release: Friday, 29 October 2021
From Monday 1 November, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) vaccination clinics will be offering a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine to people aged 18 years and older, six months after their second dose.
People who received their first doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the initial rollout earlier this year – aged care residents, people with disability, and frontline healthcare workers – will be among the first to receive the booster shots.
This follows the Federal Government announcement on 28 October 2021 that the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) had both approved the booster program in Australia.
“We know people have been eagerly awaiting advice on booster doses. Our staff have been preparing for the announcement and are ready to vaccinate those eligible when doors open on Monday,” said Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery and Clinical Governance, Deborah Cameron.
“We have plenty of Pfizer vaccine to support the rollout of boosters while continuing to provide first, second, and third doses to those who need them.”
A booster dose is different to a third dose. Booster doses offer additional protection to the fully vaccinated, aiming to maintain immunity levels and offer further protection against new strains of the virus.
A third dose is part of the primary vaccination course for the severely immunocompromised, intended to increase their immune response to a level closer to the average fully vaccinated person.
Our booking system has now been updated to enable those eligible to schedule an appointment at the Mass Vaccination Centre in Wollongong, the Shoalhaven Hospital Vaccination Clinic in Nowra, or the Shellharbour City Centre Vaccination Clinic.
Appointments are preferred and can be made by calling the ISLHD Booking Team on 1300 096 365 during business hours, or online via the ISLHD COVID-19 Vaccination Support form.
In addition to the District’s clinics, booster shots will be available at local general practitioners and pharmacies.
People must not attend their vaccination appointment if they have any COVID-19 symptoms and should get tested and self-isolate until they receive a negative test result. People should also stay home if they are a close contact of a confirmed case.
The TGA has only approved the Pfizer vaccine for booster doses at this time. The Federal Government has also advised that Moderna is also expected to apply to the TGA for registration of booster doses for their vaccine.
To allow our District to focus on delivery of Pfizer, AstraZeneca appointments will no longer be available in our clinics from Saturday 30 October. Anyone who had their first dose of AstraZeneca at an ISLHD clinic will be contacted to arrange an appointment for their second dose.
AstraZeneca and Moderna continue to be available at participating general practices and pharmacies for those who are unable to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination program is led by the Federal Government. For more information about the COVID-19 Vaccination Program in NSW visit the NSW Government website.
To 11:59pm on Wednesday 27 October 2021 across NSW, 93.4 per cent of people aged 16 and over had received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 86.5 per cent were fully vaccinated.m
