Local authorities in the NSW town of Walgett warn the local hospital cannot cope with a COVID-19 outbreak, as the state’s Health Minister sounds the alarm over low vaccination rates of Aboriginal people in the north-west.
The local mayor Ian Woodcock said the consequences of an outbreak in a town with such a vulnerable population would be devastating.“Anything to do with any medical situation here they put them on a plane and fly them out,” he said. “We’ve only got an emergency centre here at Lightning Ridge and we’ve got a bigger population ... I think it would be devastating for the community.
“Elders are the ones that have the knowledge and pass the knowledge on to the younger generation and the last thing we want to be responsible for is introducing COVID-19 into a family where an Elder passes away.”His organisation has been assisting Aboriginal medical services in the Dubbo region, and urging people to get tested if symptomatic and to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
“The Aboriginal population was identified by the federal government as its area of responsibility earlier on … and there’s still a very substantial percentage - in fact by far the majority - of Aboriginal people in that northwestern section of our state who have not received the vaccine.”Mr Hazzard said he’d spoken to Walgett's Aboriginal medical service, which was desperate for more staff and vaccine doses.
CameronGooley There has to be someone in the NSW Government better equipped than this man, Hazzard. Does anyone know why he is always so tetchy.
CameronGooley Hardly surprising. We knew this would happen. But GladysSuperSpreader knows best. 🤬
CameronGooley protect them is your job . do it now