Southern Highlands medical staff are preparing for another grueling stretch as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout for children begins next week.
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From Monday January 10, children between the ages of 5-11 are eligible for the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
With only a few weeks of school holidays remaining, demand has understandably been high as clinics and GPs try and fit in as many appointments as possible.
The Bowral Doctor practice manager Tracee Perry revealed they had already allocated their first round of doses and would soon have to stop taking appointments for January.
"We've already allocated all of it," she told the Southern Highland News.
"Our next batch isn't coming until the January 21 but that's alright because we're pretty much fully booked, we are about a day away from saying no to people.
"We're actually not limited by vaccine, we're limited by hours in the day. We have enough vaccine, we just don't have enough time to do everyone, we only got given 100 but that's pretty good."
Mrs Perry said the practice and other clinics in the Highlands had been stretched to the limit as they attempt to get vaccine booster shots into arms as well.
"It's flat out," she explained.
"We're all tried and working crazy hours. We never usually work weekend but we're doing a Saturday and Sunday clinic.
"We were meant to go camping but we decided it wasn't the right time to go on a holiday while people are desperate for help. Doctors aren't taking holidays, we worked through Christmas and New Years, we only had the public holidays off.
"Doctors are working very long hours because that's what you've got to do to get everyone vaccinated. Our patients have been wonderful so it's all good, we're hanging in there."
Despite the testing times, Mrs Perry was hopeful January would present the toughest challenge.
"We're hoping by late February things will ease up a bit," she said.
"Because Omicron is so contagious, a lot of people will probably have had it and there might be some herd immunity going on.
"We're hoping January will be the peak of things once we get through most of the boosters and kids. That's the plan, hopefully that will happen!"
Vaccines for children will begin on Thursday over at Eastbrooke Medical Centre however there are no bookings available for January.
"We're fully booked until the end of January," a spokesperson told the News.
Booster shots are available although patients will need to remain patient with demand for vaccine stock high across NSW.
"With the boosters it's busy but we're ready. We have booster clinics going which is anywhere between 40-60 patients per day.
"We're just trying to keep up with demand but we don't have enough stock, that's the problem."
Meanwhile, Mittagong Healthcare Centre confirmed that bookings for children's vaccines open on Friday January 7.
All bookings need to be made online and spaces are limited.
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