Member for Wagga Wagga calls for ‘regional roadmap’ on COVID-19

Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, is calling for regional areas to be protected as the state government develops its COVID-19 “roadmap” out of restrictions.

Dr McGirr is concerned that regional communities will be left vulnerable if restrictions allow Sydney residents to travel as soon as the state hits a target of 70 per cent fully vaccinated, as has been suggested recently.

“I am concerned that while the overall state average will have reached 70 per cent, the vaccination rates in many regional areas will not. This puts these communities at risk,” he said.

“Not only do we need a roadmap for NSW, we need a regional roadmap.

“Once people are allowed to travel more widely, particularly from Sydney and other impacted areas, our regional communities are at increased risk.

“This virus only travels when people travel and we do not want it travelling to regional areas which have not had the same opportunities to access vaccinations as metropolitan areas.”

Figures from NSW Health, released on Thursday, show that 83.6 per cent of eligible NSW residents have had their first jab, while 55.5 per cent are fully vaccinated, Dr McGirr said.

However, a federal update, released on Monday, shows that 77.7 per cent of eligible residents of the Wagga Wagga LGA have had their first jab and 50.9 per cent have been fully vaccinated.

Lockhart has fared slightly better with rates of 80.6 per cent for the first jab and 55.9 per cent fully vaccinated, while Snowy Valleys is at 78.7 per cent first dose and 46.1 per cent double dosed.

“There are still a number of LGAs in NSW where the double dosed rate is less than 40 per cent, far below the state average,” Dr McGirr said.

“Opening the state up when regional areas are lagging behind the state average will put our communities at risk.

“I have written to the Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, calling for a clear regional roadmap that ensures regional communities are protected from the greater risks that could come from having a lower proportion of fully vaccinated residents.

“I was supportive of the government’s focus on boosting vaccination rates in Sydney hotspots in order to stop the virus spreading to regional areas, but now is the time to improve regional rates.”