More than 7100 shots and 39 clinics later, a UNE team’s momentous effort to vaccinate people in regional NSW against COVID-19 has come to a close.
Over the past four months, drop-in clinics run by 40 of our clinical and UNE Life staff have boosted vaccination rates in the New England North West by 46 per cent.
The last was held on Thursday, December 2 at Tingha’s Town Hall, bringing to about 8,500 kilometres the distance travelled by the team to help protect communities large and small. The group set up shop in everything from abattoirs, schools and glasshouses, to tents in parks and carparks.
UNE Vice-Chancellor Professor Brigid Heywood and Chancellor James Harris recognised the significant role the team played in ensuring public safety in the midst of the Delta outbreak at a special award ceremony in late November.
“UNE aims to deliver education and research through a team-based approach,” Professor Heywood said. “Under exceptional circumstances, at an exceptional time, the UNE Life team stepped up and leaned in to support the whole community.”
UNE Life director David Schmude said it echoes the sentiments expressed by many.
“People have been so thankful for the clinics,” he said. “But it’s been a real team effort and our privilege to be a part of the amazing wider community response.”
A happy 'customer' at the first Armidale clinic.
When the Armidale Local Government Area went into lockdown in August and the UNE Medical Centre was needing to power up to meet demand, other parts of UNE Life – namely Sport UNE, food and beverage, and the Belgrave Cinema – were forced to close their doors. This left almost 30 UNE Life staff free to take on the logistics of setting up and operating the mobile clinics.
Within four days they had swung into action, bringing together local GPs, Hunter New England Health, the Primary Health Network, police, St John’s Ambulance Service, local councils, politicians and Aboriginal health services. During the first walk-in mass vaccination clinic – in Armidale – some 575 people were vaccinated in the first day.
Comprising UNE Medical Centre nurses and GPs, plus an extensive logistics crew drawn from UNE Life ranks, the UNE team has since toured Moree, Inverell, Tingha, Ashford, Delungra, Guyra, Tamworth, Tenterfield and Glen Innes administering AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines. Through dedicated Armajun Aboriginal Health Service clinics, the UNE team has helped dramatically lift vaccination levels amongst some of the region’s vulnerable and isolated Indigenous communities.
“As opposed to one or two people visiting their doctor, we had entire families come in to an environment in which they felt safe,” David said. “The bush telegraph worked wonders and it was wonderful to see people so happy afterwards, having got the jab and feeling safer.
“I think people now look at UNE in a different light; we have demonstrated our networks, ability and resources to mobilise to meet an urgent community need.”
