Dozens of residents seeking a booster shot in the New South Wales Illawarra have been turned away as the region's mass vaccination hub grapples with a shortage of staff.
Long queues of people snaked around Wollongong's mass vaccination centre in the Crown Street Mall on Tuesday, with many asked to return another day.
A spokesperson for the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District said vaccination staff were working hard to meet the demand.
"There are currently 200 bookings every hour as well as walk-in appointments," the spokesperson said.
"All walk-ins have been offered a booking for another day."
'Challenging circumstances'
The local health district (LHD) is responsible for around a third of the booster rollout in the region, with the shots also offered by the local GP network and pharmacies.
The district spokesperson said the mass vaccination hub ordinarily has the capacity to administer around 2,500 vaccines per day.
"The LHD thanks the local community for continuing to come forward for their booster vaccines," the spokesperson said.
