NSW-Victoria border community leaders unite calling for residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19

Leaders from both sides of the NSW-Victoria border call for residents to get vaccinated. (ABC Goulburn Murray: Mikaela Orotolan)

Community leaders on both sides of the New South Wales-Victoria border are calling for residents to get vaccinated to stop a hard border being put in place and to get life back to normal.

Emergency services, businesses, and politicians have joined forces to ask people to roll up their sleeves to increase vaccination rates along the border.

Member for Albury, Justin Clancy, said vaccines are safe and the community should be taking up the opportunity to get the jab.

Member for Benambra, Bill Tilley, said the Albury Wodonga Health vaccine hub had the capacity to see more people through the doors.

Way out of border closures

Emergency services say increased vaccination in the community will help bring an end to border closures.  (ABC Goulburn Murray: Ashlee Aldridge)

Businesses along the border have faced significant impacts from the opening and shutting down of industries, and the restrictions of movement along the border.

The director of First National Real Estate Bonnici and Associates, William Bonnici, said the constantly changing restrictions were not only hitting businesses economically but staff morale as well.

William Bonnici says lockdowns are impacting businesses financially as well as staff morale. (ABC Goulburn Murray: Mikaela Ortolan)

Mr Bonnici said the more people vaccinated the more leverage there was to lobby the government against more lockdowns and restrictions.

"The lockdowns in our part of north-east Victoria and the Riverina in southern New South Wales are just not warranted . We should be opening up. We should be allowed to move forward. We've proven that we can actually combat this on our own," he said.

Emergency services on the border have joined the call for not only residents to get vaccinated but their staff as well.

Murray River Police District Commander Paul Smith said they do not want to see more border closures.

"Border region residents have been through a heap over the last 18 months," he said.

'We have the capacity'

Michael Kalimnios said the Wodonga hub has the capacity to vaccinate more people. (ABC Goulburn Murray: Jackson Peck)

Albury Wodonga Health chief executive officer Michael Kalimnios said the hub in Wodonga was vaccinating around 400 people a day, but they could do better.

Mr Kalimnios said they tend to see spikes during lockdowns and outbreaks.

During the last lockdown in Victoria the hub vaccinated 570 people in a day.

He said all their hubs have capacity and encouraged people to book in.