Wiradjuri elder Frank Doolan has a few messages for the Dubbo community.
Chief among them is to set aside any doubts, have faith in the system and get vaccinated.
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"There's a certain section of the community which would prefer to spread misinformation.
"I can understand your doubts, I had doubts myself, but it's a fact of life that's confronting all of us.
"It requires faith in the systems, I trust that NSW Health are doing the best they can, they're not selling us false information, we're gonna get through this together.
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'Riverbank' Frank has had a first vaccine dose and will get the second jab later this week. He's one of thousands across Western NSW who have been vaccinated since COVID entered the region.
There has been a surge in the past month, with 26 per cent of the Western NSW LHD population fully vaccinated, and 54 per cent having received a first dose.
The health authority is aiming to double that by the end of September.
Of continual growing concern is the spread of the virus in the Indigenous community in Dubbo and the vulnerable remote communities across the state.
The community is mourning the tragic death of a well-known Indigenous man at Dubbo Hospital on Sunday night.
"The stakes are that much higher because it's in the Indigenous community, and in that community factors like overcrowding, lack of social distancing, things like that just place us at greater risk," Riverbank said, adding; "It's not out of a desire to break some health laws, but they do it because it's they way they are.
"This is tough but we're tough people, all of us west of the mountains, and we're gonna get through this."
Emily Wheeler
I have been a journalist for 15 years, covering regional and rural issues, as well as metropolitan news in Sydney. I began my career at the Daily Liberal newspaper in 2006 where I completed a cadetship before moving to several other areas to broaden my skills. Most recently I was Chief of Staff at 9 News Sydney for 7 years. I moved back to my hometown of Dubbo in 2020, and have enjoyed getting back to my country NSW roots and covering the issues that are important to regional and rural NSW.
I have been a journalist for 15 years, covering regional and rural issues, as well as metropolitan news in Sydney. I began my career at the Daily Liberal newspaper in 2006 where I completed a cadetship before moving to several other areas to broaden my skills. Most recently I was Chief of Staff at 9 News Sydney for 7 years. I moved back to my hometown of Dubbo in 2020, and have enjoyed getting back to my country NSW roots and covering the issues that are important to regional and rural NSW.
