Frontline services in South Australia are trying to push up Indigenous vaccination rates as COVID-19 tears through vulnerable communities interstate.
Less than 13 per cent of Aboriginal people in SA are fully vaccinated, the second-lowest Indigenous vaccination rate after Western Australia.
A pop-up clinic and barbecue in Port Augusta on Wednesday made a small contribution to increasing that number, with almost 30 people receiving a Pfizer dose by lunchtime.
Pika Wiya Health Service registered nurse Rebecca Simpson said it was hard to reach a partly transient community using traditional approaches.
"It's the access issue, it's safety — feeling safe and comfortable in their environment," Ms Simpson said.
The vaccination drive took place against the backdrop of worsening COVID-19 outbreaks in Aboriginal communities in western New South Wales.
On the day of the clinic, the number of active cases in the predominantly Indigenous town of Wilcannia rose to 41.
Looking out for mum
Among those who turned up for the jab was Rachel Schmerl, who was immunised with her mother, Joy.
"It was important to make sure that mum would be safe given that she's a lot older — in that vulnerable category, like many of our families," she said.
Ms Schmerl said there was some uncertainty among her friends and family about receiving the vaccine.
"There are some that are still wanting to see what that looks like, and there are other family members that we know that have had it," she said.
Rhoda Pearson said being fully vaccinated would allow her to return home more easily to the APY Lands, where additional entry restrictions apply during outbreaks because of the vulnerability of the population.
"Back in my community [they] don't really know what the vaccines mean, and I think there was some few people that got their COVID jabs, but some, they're scared to get it done," Ms Pearson said.
Ms Pearson said getting vaccinated would make the community stronger.
'We have to wait'
Port Augusta is a meeting place for Indigenous people from as far away as the Western Desert.
The level of transience creates a challenge for health services trying to identify who they need to reach and how to reach them.
"Appointments are difficult, transport is difficult, online booking systems are difficult, so we need to make it easier," Ms Simpson said.
"People are still frightened, so we have to allay those fears, give them research, information and wait for them to be ready.
The pop-up clinic took place at the Stepping Stones day centre, which manager Alinda Hogg said was a familiar location for many who came in.
"Almost everybody walks, and the health centre's a long way away from here, about three or four kilometres," Ms Hogg said.
"[The turnout] is better than I anticipated.
