SOUTH Australia's first drive-through COVID-19 vaccination clinic opened at the SA Produce Market in Pooraka on Tuesday.
SA Health and Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wade said transforming the existing Pooraka 'pop-up' vaccination clinic into a new drive-through option was an exciting milestone in the push to reach 90 per cent of eligible South Australians vaccinated.
"The drive-through has served us well during the pandemic, whether it be to facilitate contactless transactions with your grocery store, or as a safe testing clinic. Now you can get your life-saving vaccine without even leaving your car," he said.
"You can book or you can just drive right on in. Roll down your window and roll up your sleeve. It's now that easy to get vaccinated.
"We opened Australia's first (and the world's second) drive-through testing clinic at the Repat in March last year, which has been extremely successful and we hope this drive-through has similar success.
"Drive-through vaccine clinics in Vic and NSW have been popular and we hope families with children over 12 will see this as a more convenient and accessible way for the whole family to receive their vaccine."
SA has reached the 80pc double dose mark of people aged 16 and over, but Mr Wade said there were still some pockets across the state with a low uptake, particularly in the northern suburbs.
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Northern Adelaide Local Health Network Nursing Operations director and COVID-19 program lead Andrew McGill said while vaccinations in the north were slow early, it was encouraging to see a boost in the area.
"The NALHN has delivered more than 180,000 vaccinations to the community, with the Pooraka 'pop-up' administering more than 8000 doses since it opened on September 21," he said.
"With borders reopening last week, now is not the time to take our foot off the brake.
"By opening the state's first drive-through clinic in the north, we are hoping to drive up the vaccination rate as we get closer to Christmas.
"Previously, the SA Produce Market Pooraka vaccination site was open until 3pm, but will now operate six days per week until 7pm to give everyone as many opportunities as possible to get their vaccine."
The drive-through clinic joins 50 vaccination clinics run by SA Health and the hundreds of GPs and pharmacies administering the shots through the Commonwealth rollout.
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