Torres News Thursday, 13 January 2022
Stories and events of the Kaurareg homeland of Kaiwalagal, the Torres Strait homeland and Cape York homelands of the Anggamuthi, Atambaya, Wuthathi, Yadhaykenu and Gudang Peoples.
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Kids jabs ‘critical’: Price
PUTTING on A BRAVE FACE: Daisy-Jaye Pedro (7) after being vaccinated by Nurse Robyn Lythall at TRAWQ Community Hall pop-up clinic.
The COVID-19 vaccine rollout to children is critical Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) President Dr Karen Price says. “We need to vaccinate as many children as we can as quickly as we can to protect our community,” Dr Price said. “We know schools and children mixing have been a big source of infections.” Federal COVID-19 Task Force Commander Lieutenant General John Frewen said they were encouraging parents to organise their first dose before school started. “This is really the last piece of the puzzle,
bringing in the five to 11 year olds,” he said. “I know lots of parents and kids have been looking forward to this. “We certainly encourage everybody to get that first dose before they get back to school.” Clinics have started offering vaccinations to children across the Torres & Cape Hospital and Health Service region, Chief Executive Beverley Hamerton said. She said getting them done before the school year started was essential. “Please give your kids a layer of protection before the school year begins,” she said.
“The dose is one-third of the dose approved for those aged 12 and over and should be administered in two doses at least eight weeks apart. “Initially, child vaccinations will be available at outreach clinics at Thursday Island, Weipa and Cooktown, and then will be rolled out progressively to other communities throughout the region.” “But getting that first dose is a really important first step, and again, I just encourage everybody – if they haven’t got a booking – to get themselves down to get vaccinated.” MORE INSIDE
Call to limit travel as COVID planning pays off Travel should be kept to an absolute minimum as the Torres Shire Council works closely with Torres & Cape Hospital and Health Services and other agencies to rein in the current COVID-19 outbreak, Torres Shire Council Mayor Vonda Malone says. “We will, unfortunately, see some more cases because we’re now going into a scenario where there is community transmission within Torres Shire,” she said.
“With this uncertainty of the current outbreak we are calling on all agencies, both government and non-government, businesses or residents to strongly reconsider any non-essential travel. “We don’t want to continue to have the spread throughout our region, especially to our vulnerable outer island communities.” Torres Strait Island Regional Council Mayor Philemon Mosby said their Disaster Management
By Sylvia Tabua & christine howeS Group had worked hard with the community to prepare for the outbreak. “I’ve had all our Councillors in our 15 division holding special COVID meetings with community in the hope to not only prepare communities for an outbreak, but to make sure that there’s leadership
presence in community, and development and ownership of a plan,” he said. TCHHS Northern Director of Medical Services Dr Marlow Coates there had been extensive planning leading up to the outbreak. “We’ve had great collaboration with other agencies in reaching out to those positive cases to ensure that they are monitored on a daily basis,” he said. “Through all the planning with all of our partners in the NGO space, in
the council space, and with all other agencies involved in providing care and services up in the region, we’ve recognised that we’ve got good high level services and all of our sites ready to care for those people who get proper sick. “It’s long been in our plans with community consultation, that that’s where we need to put our efforts. “We’ve listened to that and we’re seeing that enacted out now across the community.”
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