Community & Business
24 October, 2021
Mareeba High becomes first state school in Queensland to offer Moderna vaccine jabs
MAREEBA State High School (MSHS) has become part of an Australian first partnership between the Queensland Government and community pharmacies, offering the Moderna vaccine in school.
The new COVID-19 School Vaccination Program enables students and staff to receive their vaccines in the familiar environment of their own school.
Bianca Hope from Wholelife Pharmacy and Wholefoods in Mareeba and her team were on hand at MSHS last Friday to offer staff and students the first dose of their Moderna COVID vaccine.
Having the service available at school has been beneficial, giving people a chance to get the vaccine without taking time out of school or work.
MSHS principal Scott Whybird said that he was pleased to offer another opportunity for students and staff to get vaccinated.
“We’re the first state school in Queensland to offer the vaccine and it happened in Mareeba,” he said.
”The opportunity for students and staff to receive their vaccinations at school through the support of our local pharmacy has provided a safe and easily accessible choice for our students and staff.
“My thanks to Bianca and her team at Wholelife Pharmacy and Healthfoods for offering this important community service.
“We started last week to get our year 11s and 12s in to ensure they can receive their second shot while still at school.”
Chris Owen, Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Queensland Branch president, congratulated the Queensland Government for their innovative approach and said this would mean greater accessibility of COVID vaccines for Queensland children.
“The Queensland Government and Hon Grace Grace MP deserve to be recognised for making this Australian first partnership a reality,” he said.
“Greater accessibility to COVID vaccinations will mean more Queenslanders will get fully vaccinated sooner, and community pharmacies are only too happy to be part of this.
“This initiative will deliver thousands of Moderna COVID vaccines to students across Far North Queensland in the coming months.”
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Queensland Branch will be administering more Moderna vaccines in FNQ schools in the coming months as part of the school program.
Malanda State High School has also signed on to get a voluntary COVID vaccination clinic up and running on school grounds.
