Cape Y rk Weekly FREE – #031 | Monday, April 26, 2021
Editor: Matt Nicholls 0477 450 558 | editor@capeyorkweekly.com.au
Cape York residents in Weipa, Napranum, Aurukun and Mapoon yesterday paused to reflect and commemmorate Anzac Day. Despite some rain, a long weekend and social distancing restrictions, numbers were strong at all services. Anzac Day coverage – Pages 5, 8 and 9
Vaccine dates set By MATT NICHOLLS
WEIPA, Napranum and Mapoon residents should be vaccinated by the end of September after a new rollout plan was put in place. The news was announced by Weipa Hospital’s nursing director Kindee Lawty at last week’s Rio Tinto community forum. “We think we should be able to have 80 per cent of the eligible
population vaccinated by the end of September,” she said. “Our numbers suggest that we need to vaccinate 2400 people in Weipa, 870 in Napranum and 160 in Mapoon to make up that 80 per cent of the eligible population.” Cape York Weekly understands that Weipa’s storm surge shelter in Rocky Point will be the hub for the vaccines, although Queensland Health has yet to book the facility.
The shelter was used last year for flu jabs. Venues have not been locked in for Mapoon and Napranum. Meanwhile, the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service will restart its COVID vaccination program from May 17, subject to stocks of the Pfizer vaccine arriving during the first week of May. CEO Beverley Hamerton said the health service had been advised
that the special freezer to hold the Pfizer vaccine had arrived in Australia and was on its way north. “We expect everything to arrive on Thursday Island during the first week of May,” she said. “Subject to this, and barring any other challenges, we will restart the vaccination program from May 17 on Thursday Island, where we will be vaccinating health and emergency services staff who have
RETURNS TO THE ALBY THIS WEDNESDAY FROM 7.30PM
not yet had their first dose of vaccine, as well as members of the general population. “We will be using Thursday Island Hospital as a hub to distribute the Pfizer vaccine to communities across the Torres Strait and NPA. Ms Hamerton said anyone who had not yet had their first dose of vaccine would only be offered the Pfizer vaccine. Continued – Page 2