Ryan Park, the Shadow Minister for the Illawarra has once again demanded more vaccines for the region.
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Mr Park's latest urging came on Sunday when it was announced that the Illawarra-Shoalhaven area recorded 53 new COVID-19 cases.
NSW recorded 1262 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours up to 8pm Saturday.
The Member for Keira said with 53 new cases reported in the Illawarra Shoalhaven and the peak expected to come in the next few weeks, the Wollongong Vaccination Hub and other outlets now needed to be prioritised for an increase in vaccines.
Mr Park said the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region had a lower vaccination level when compared to the other areas across the Greater Sydney LGAs.
He added with many of the region's residents needing to access west and south west Sydney for essential work, it was critical that supply be increased.
"We are at a tipping point. 53 cases can quickly turn into hundreds with the Delta variant and we simply cannot afford that to happen," Mr Park said.
"Our vaccination hub can be doing around 2500 vaccinations every day. At the moment it's sitting at less than 1000, that needs to change and change quick.
"Millions of dollars have been spent setting up and leasing the space for the vaccination hub yet at the moment it's running at less than half its capacity, that can't continue given the situation we are in.
"My colleagues and I will be raising this again with both the Health Minister and Deputy Premier and calling on them to direct more vaccines to the region."
Of the 53 new cases in the Illawarra Shoalhaven, 35 were residents of the Wollongong Local Government Area. Eleven of these infections were linked to known cases, while investigations are ongoing for 24 of the cases.
Fifteen cases were residents of Shellharbour LGA , seven of whom were linked to known cases and eight for whom investigations are ongoing.
Two cases are residents of Shoalhaven LGA and one case is a resident of Kiama LGA.
Meantime, patients at a city medical centre are advised to get tested after a positive case visited earlier this month.
According to NSW Health, the person visited Wollongong Medical Centre on Crown Street on September 1, between 8.56 and 10am and has since tested positive for COVID.
All people who were there at that time are advised to get tested for COVID as soon as possible and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.
Also, patients at a Warrawong medical centre will need a COVID test before being able to see a doctor following a visit from a positive case. The Warrawong Accident and Medical Centre in Warrawong Plaza posted a message on Facebook announcing the change, adding the centre had been closed for a deep clean.
"Patients are required to have a COVID test three days before the face-to-face appointment and show the negative COVID result prior to entry," the message stated.
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