Aboriginal community rallies for pop-up vaccination clinic

Members of Narrabri’s Aboriginal community have encouraged people to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The call-to-action comes as a pop-up clinic was held at the Narrabri Aquatic Centre last Thursday morning.

The clinic was organised by Marilyn Binge who collaborated with Narrabri Shire Council and mayor Ron Campbell, along with the Pius X Aboriginal Medical Service in Moree, to distribute vaccines in town.

Ms Binge said the clinic, which saw about 78 doses administered, was primarily aimed at immunising local elders.

Other Aboriginal community nmembers who attended the clinic to receive the vaccine praised Ms Binge’s extraordinary efforts in getting the vaccinations to Narrabri.

Some highlighted the recent cases linked to Bourke, Walgett and Brewarrina, and the connections between those Aboriginal communities and Narrabri’s as a primary reason to be vaccinated against the virus.

The message from some of the people who attended the clinic was clear, get vaccinated to protect family and friends.

“We don’t want to have outbreaks in small communities,” one attendee told The Courier.

“We can’t do without out it [the vaccine].”

Another attendee who also received a vaccination echoed similar sentiments.

“We don’t want to be part of an outbreak in Aboriginal communities,” the attendee said.

“We’re getting the vaccine so the whole community can be protected.”

Local Aboriginal community member Terry Williams was the first of the 78 vaccine doses administered.

He described the immunisation process as simple.

“The vaccine isn’t what I’d assumed it would be,” he said of the ease of receiving the immunisation.

“It was administered with care from the ladies from Pius X Aboriginal Medical Service.

“I will definitely be back for my second shot.”

While last Thursday’s clinic was spearheaded by Ms Binge, Narrabri Shire Council offered the use of the aquatic centre as the immunisation venue.

Mayor Ron Campbell has made clear his intent to see Narrabri hold a larger vaccination hub to see the community protected.

“Council will continue to contact relevant authorities and health departments regarding any plans to conduct mass vaccinations in the shire,” Cr Campbell said.

“We are also working on being prepared to offer any assistance that may be required to make this happen immediately from investigating suitable venues to drafting traffic management plans for suitable venues.”

Earlier last week, Cr Campbell said council is lobbying hard with the federal and state governments for the establishment of a mass vaccination centre in the shire.

Council has reiterated that it is willing to offer any of its resources that may be required to facilitate such a clinic in Narrabri.