16 SEPTEMBER 2021
ISSUE 027
REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS
Struggling to stay afloat
News
Central Coast Council has commenced proactive patrols in natural reserves and continues to monitor open space areas for unauthorised bike jump and track builds. See page 5
Out&About
As nominations for the 2022 NSW Women of the Year Awards close this Friday, CCN has taken a look back on one of the finalists of the 2020 award – Umina’s Glitta Supernova. See page 13
Some local businesses are still struggling to stay afloat even though the NSW Government has extended financial support for those affected by lockdown restrictions.
Health
See page 21 Bombora Ettalong Beach SUP boards
Buck passing doesn’t solve Pfizer shortage Friction between the State and Federal Governments has come to a head over the Central Coast’s lack of Pfizer supply as the region records over 60 new cases so far this week. With cases on the rise and dozens of new exposure sites listed across the region, increased vaccination coverage is something the NSW Government said could get the Coast out of lockdown sooner. As of Monday, September 13, over 70 per cent of Peninsula residents had received their first dose of any COVID-19 vaccine and over 40 per cent
were fully vaccinated. Over 48,000 doses of vaccine have been administered on the Peninsula. The state-wide lockdown is expected to end in mid-October after the State achieves over 70 per cent vaccination coverage. The potential for the Coast to leave the lockdown earlier would be dependent on vaccine supply and community uptake. Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said there had been a ‘very short’ supply of Pfizer on the Coast and said he hoped the Federal Government would supply more Pfizer doses.
“Gosford and Wyong Hospitals are currently administering 4,800 Pfizer doses per week,” Crouch said. “This is very good but we can always do better. “This is just 40 per cent of what Gosford and Wyong Hospitals could do if Pfizer vaccines were readily available. “Gosford Hospital even has the staff and the space ready and waiting to operate as a mass vaccination hub, but only if the Federal Government supplies more Pfizer doses.” It is reported that Gosford and Wyong Hospitals can administer up to 12,000 Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines per week in addition
to its administering of AstraZeneca doses but this is entirely dependent on supply. Federal Member fo Robertson, Lucy Wicks, has welcomed a review of how General Practitioners (GPs) are allocated to areas like the Central Coast. “Central Coast residents are doing their bit to hit the 70 per cent and 80 per cent targets,” Wicks said. “To date,the NSW Government has received almost three million doses of Pfizer, which is enough to vaccinate around 45 per cent of the state with a first dose. “However, I am advised the
Central Coast Local Health District has not received an increase in Pfizer allocations since July 2021. “From the NSW Government allocation of Pfizer, the Central Coast has been receiving about half (2.1 per cent) of the Pfizer we would expect based on our population size (4.8 per cent), which has left a shortfall of about 30,000 doses locally. “I thank the NSW Premier for her determination to stamp out the Delta outbreak in Western and Southwest Sydney, but its time our region gets back the 30,000 Pfizer doses that were taken to fight the virus on the front-line.” Continued page 4
The 11th annual Cancer Council’s ‘Girls Night In’ event at Ettalong Diggers next month has been postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. See page 25
Sport
Australia’s well decorated sports sailor and Gosford Sailing Club alumnus, Tom Slingsby, has successfully defended his 2019 title at the 2021 Moth World Championship. See page 31
Puzzles page 18
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