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Private healthcare workers will play a big part in ramping up Australia's COVID-19 response program, following the opening of a new mass vaccination hub at Sydney's Olympic Park.
Ramsay Health Care staff will help administer up to 30,000 jabs each week after the country's largest private provider partnered with the New South Wales Government to establish the facility.
"Our dedicated nurse immunisers, registered nurses and pharmacists will be among the hundreds of clinical staff on site at Sydney Olympic Park to help administer this very important vaccine rollout," Ramsay Australia's Chief Nurse Dr Bernadette Eather said.
The hub, which took 20 working days to complete, will in its first two weeks deliver Pfizer vaccinations to priority groups including healthcare workers, emergency service workers, quarantine and border workers and their households.
From Monday 24 May, it will complete approximately 5,000 vaccinations a day, with workers administering both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines in separate pods.
More than 60,000 people aged 40-49 signed up for Pfizer vaccinations in the first few hours after registrations opened, according to media reports. AstraZeneca doses are being offered to people aged 50 and above.
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"We are still looking for more staff, especially registered nurses, to be part of the vaccine hub so if you'd like to be involved please get in touch with your manager for more information," Dr Eather added.
She said all remaining Ramsay staff and doctors who had not received, or been scheduled to receive, their vaccination could now book into the hub, which will operate six days a week from 8am to 8pm.
"The sooner we have our staff vaccinated the safer they are and the safer our community is, so I encourage staff to book in for their jab as soon as possible," Dr Eather said.
Read more: COVID-19 priority vaccines protect staff and patients
Read more: Private hospitals' 'huge contribution' to COVID-19 response
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