But the rollout of the vaccine and the messaging surrounding it has been mixed, many are unsure if they are eligible. However, it seems like the Mid-Western community is tracking well when it comes to numbers vaccinated.

Gearing up for his second COVID vaccine jab, Hugh Bateman is among the roughly 3,500 people that have received their first round of the jab in the Mid-Western region and he's calling on the community to register to for the vaccine and think of the bigger picture when it comes how the virus can affect others that are vulnerable.

Hugh said it is important that people think of the bigger picture. "I think it's imperative that we all have the shot," he said.

"Insofar as people saying, 'I won't worry about having a job because I'm living in Mudgee, and I don't go anywhere or very far.' But obviously, the thing that concerns me now is the Delta strain, which can be easily contracted... you don't need a cough or a splutter or anything like that to get it.

"This to me means as much to the world as polio and those types of diseases that have continued on in many places around the world. Australia fortunately, was able to combat it through everybody having the jab as kids going right through.

"This is something that we're not going to get rid of in my lifetime, this disease. It's imperative that everybody pulls their weight. It's no good just some of the population being involved. We have to take out the self centered attitude and be really thinking of everybody else.

What the AstraZeneca advice change means for you

"I had the jab here in Mudgee it was very, very simple. I made an appointment. You can either do it online or on the phone. I went in, had the jab. There are plenty of people there to support there's always a doctor around while the nurses are giving you the jab. It was quick, it was clean. And it was certainly not painful at all."

Hugh pushed back on the idea that any form of the vaccine is unsafe.

"Where did it [the virus] come from? How did it come... is irrelevant. Understanding it is the big basis of it," he said.

"And unfortunately, because it's mutating, it's getting beyond those means at times. So keeping up with it is the obvious issue. And that's the thing that's confronting government and and health officials worldwide.

"As that changes, the scaremongers see that as 'Oh, you didn't know that', 'Oh, really'. And the thing is that they've got to forget about all that. Have faith in our governments and health officials as we go through because that's the important thing. They're ahead of it. They're far ahead of Facebook, and the talkback shows."

Speaking with the Mudgee Guardian, Dr Alex Ghanem said as of Friday, June 18 roughly 3,500 people have been vaccinated in the region with a majority of those being people over the age of 70 with many getting ready to receive their second dose.

"The uptake has been really good and the community has been really supportive," he said.

"We've had a great relationship with the Mudgee Medical Centre throughout. A good takeaway from all of this is that COVID is still out there, we are still getting outbreaks and there is still more to be done."

Dr Ghanem said the Pfizer vaccine is on its way and more information will be shared as it comes on its rollout in the region.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: