Cessnock City Councillors have commended the community for a jump in vaccination rates that has seen the Cessnock Local Government Area (LGA) become on par with neighbouring councils.
At the final meeting of Council for 2021, Councillors and the General Manager recognised the community’s efforts to get vaccinated over recent months, resulting in 92.9% of the community now being double vaccinated and over 95% having received their first dose.
Councillors not only acknowledged community members but community organisations, local business and the ongoing collaboration between local State and Federal members for facilitating positive progress.
In response to low and slowly progressing vaccination rates, Councillors unanimously supported Mayor Bob Pynsent’s September motion for Council to write to State and Federal Ministers requesting the urgent supply of more Pfizer vaccines to the region.
General Manager, Lotta Jackson said the community has stood up to the task and made the Cessnock LGA a safer place to reside and visit.
“In August, our double dose vaccination rate was 17% compared to the state average of 28.5%, so there was significant concern the Cessnock LGA would be under-vaccinated as NSW eased out of lockdown.
It’s been fantastic to see how the region has risen to the occasion in response to Council’s advocacy and the increased availability and variety of vaccines in the area. The Councillors and myself congratulate and thank the Cessnock community,” she said.
Local pharmacies, GPs and community organisations are still administering vaccines, including booster shots for those who received their second vaccination over 6 months ago.
Visit the NSW Government website to find out more and keep up with rates of vaccination across the state on the NSW Health website.
