Health authorities are warning locals to remain vigilant with new exposure sites on the Peninsula and nearly 500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the Central Coast since the start of the current outbreak.
There was only one new unlinked case of COVID-19 detected in the 2256 postcode in the last week but nine new cases identified in the 2257 postcode (since September 15).
Locations across the Coast, including on the Peninsula, continue to be identified as exposure sites.
Anyone who attended the following venues on the dates and times listed is a casual contact.
Casual contacts must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received, even if they’ve had a test in recent days:
Woolworths Umina Beach, Sep 10, 6:20pm-6:30pm;
King of the Pack Umina, 286 West St, Sep 11, 2:25pm-2:40pm;
Bunnings Umina, Sep 11, 2:05pm-2:15pm;
IGA Ettalong Beach, Sep 13, 6:30pm-6:40pm;
Empire Bay Cellars, 3 Sorrento Rd, Sep 14, 5:05pm-5:15pm;
BWS, Umina, Sep 17, 1:15pm-1:30pm;
Coles Umina, Sep 6, 4:40pm-5pm; Sep 7, 3:50pm5:10pm; Sep 8, 6:20pm6:40pm; Sep 11, 5:35pm-5:55pm; Sep 13, 3pm-3:20pm; and Sep 14, 6:10pm-6:30pm.
A full list of exposure sites is available at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/nsw-covid-19-case-locations/case-locations
The Central Coast has recorded new vaccination rates of 81.9 per cent for first dose and 51.5 per cent for second dose coverage (as of September 20).
Federal Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, said these figures were a brilliant result.
“Central Coast residents are well on their way to achieving the 70 per cent and 80 per cent targets which will get us back to doing the things we love,” Wicks said.
“Compared to last week’s figures, we have now had an average increase of over five per cent for first and second dose vaccinations.
“We will only see these figures increase with Moderna becoming available at the end of this week, and an additional 31 GPs now administering Pfizer across our region.”
Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) recently announced that those aged 12-59 years old will have access to the Moderna vaccine.
However, NSW Health’s supply of the Pfizer vaccine is anticipated to remain static until October at the earliest.
It is expected there will be only a marginal increase in Pfizer doses until the end of September and this will be targeted at areas of disadvantage, helping to ‘ring fence’ these groups of people and help boost general community protection.
Reports also suggest that at least 60 per cent of all Pfizer doses will be provided to the GP network, not NSW Health.
There are a number of pharmacies on the Peninsula that are able to administer the vaccine:
•Kuoch Chemist Woy Woy on Blackwall Rd (Moderna and AstraZeneca);
•Clarke’s Pharmacy on Blackwall Rd (Moderna and AstraZeneca);
•Priceline Pharmacy on George St (AstraZeneca);
•Blooms the Chemist Umina on West St (AstraZeneca); and
•Umina Beach Yousave Chemist on West St (AstraZeneca).
A full list of locations to book a vaccine can be found at: https://www.findapharmacy.com.au/ or at https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility?lang=en.
The increase in some vaccine supply has come at the right time after CCLHD confirmed that the demand on local hospitals will reach its peak next month.
“Hospitals and staff in NSW are among the best placed in the world to manage the ongoing challenges of this pandemic, but we acknowledge the Delta variant is placing a strain on the system,” a CCLHD spokesperson said.
“There is currently sufficient ICU capacity in NSW public hospitals but to reduce hospital and ICU admissions and deaths among adults, vaccination on a national scale is essential.
“Central Coast Local Health District has [a] well developed workforce surge and demand management plans in place to ensure we have capacity to care for COVID-19 patients who need to be hospitalised.
“We also have teams in the community who can support people with COVID-19 who do not require hospital care.”
In additions to the patients in Gosford Hospital, CCLHD is providing care support to approximately 200 COVID-19 patients who are self-isolating at home.
Maisy Rae