SINCE Monday May 3, anyone over 50 should be able to make an appointment to get a COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccination.

The COVID-19 vaccination website lists locations that conduct vaccinations, but then bookings can only be made by phone in some cases.

The website indicates that appointments in the Coffs Harbour area can be booked with Northside Health in Edgar St.

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Northside, however, will only take bookings for its own patients under the age of 70 before 17 May.

Figures supplied by Healthy North Coast claim that more than 40,000 Mid North Coast and Northern NSW people have received a vaccination to date, which is nearly 10 percent of the target population for phases 1 and 2 of the roll out.

About 38,000 people on the Mid North Coast and in Northern NSW are said to have received the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Healthy North Coast says that eight Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) on the Mid North Coast and seven in Northern NSW have fully vaccinated their residents with both Pfizer doses.

Many RACFs are part-way through the rollout, with 16 facilities on the Mid North Coast and 5 in Northern NSW having been visited by the Commonwealth-funded squads administering first doses.

Seven more facilities on the Mid North Coast and seven in Northern NSW should receive first doses for residents this week.

People across the North Coast region are being asked to participate in an online community consultation that allows them to share their thoughts on the COVID-19 vaccines.

The survey can be found at http://covid19vaccinesurvey.questionpro.com

Those seeking more information about COVID-19 vaccines should speak to their GP or call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.

However, the National Coronavirus Helpline was “experiencing an unusually high volume of calls” last week, making it difficult for callers to access information.

By Andrew VIVIAN