A motorhome community has been established on the New South Wales Mid North Coast to help manage growing COVID-19 cases in the region.
NSW Health has established community support accommodation at Kempsey, to assist the close contacts of people with COVID-19 to isolate if they can't do so at home.
The accommodation was established using feedback from similar sites established across NSW in the past two months, and community consultation.
The dedicated Kempsey site was developed in partnership with government and non-government agencies in response to wish of many people to stay on country, NSW Health said.
The Mid North Coast Local Health District chief executive, Stewart Dowrick, said it would provide a respectful and appropriate environment to safely isolate.
Ten motorhomes have been set up at the Kempsey Showground, which already has access to power and water.
"This was just seen as another option for us to support our communities.
"Our community and all agencies are working really hard to support those with COVID ... but these things take time to get under control."
The support accommodation was developed by Health Infrastructure, working with other agencies including the local council, Aboriginal Affairs NSW, the Local Emergency Management Committee, and the NSW Rural Fire Service.
A COVID community response team has also been established to ensure the continual monitoring and evaluation of isolated patients to provide a timely health and welfare response.
"These motorhomes can be used by anyone on the Mid North Coast, but particularly in the Kempsey area where our present cluster is," Mr Dowrick said.
'A lot of fear out there'
Dunghutti woman Jo Kelly has been in self-isolation for eight days after being deemed a close contact of a COVID-19 case in Kempsey.
Ms Kelly said 11 of her family members had been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Ms Kelly, who works with Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation, has been liaising with local groups about how to manage and support the community, as COVID-19 cases increase across the region.
"This is our reality; we have to live and learn to work in this environment. What can we to do alleviate the fear?" she said.
Ms Kelly said she knew of about 51 households that had residents with COVID-19, or who were isolating because they had been deemed close contacts.
She said they had struggled to access fresh fruit and vegetables as well as cleaning supplies in the past week.
"Food supply is becoming an issue to support the Aboriginal community," she said.
"We've had families in isolation for more than 10 days, so they've had access to minimal things like medical resources for those who have tested positive."
Vaccination rates on the rise
Mr Dowrick said vaccination rates in the region were heading in the right direction.
"We have very high first-dose vaccination rates across the Mid North Coast region, one of the highest in NSW," he said.
"Earlier this week the Kempsey community was over 94 per cent first dose and around 75 per cent second dose and this community is responding really well.
"They'll be at over 80 per cent at the end of this week, early next week."
