It was a cold, wet and long wait for about 650 people who lined up to get vaccinated at Narooma on Sunday, September 5.
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Narooma Respiratory Clinic and Lighthouse Surgery practice manager Jane Taylor was impressed by the number of people who braved the elements to receive their first dose of Pfizer.
"We were expecting big numbers, but considering the weather, I thought a lot of people wouldn't come because it was so cold and wet," she said.
The walk-in clinic was set up in the carpark behind the surgery. People lined up as early as 6.30am in the pouring rain to be first to receive the jab at 9am.
By mid-morning, a line of people stretched down the street to the AMPOL service station.
"There were people who waited three-to-four hours," Ms Taylor said.
"They were absolutely frozen by the time they got the vaccination."
Despite the long wait and horrible weather, Ms Taylor said the mood was not dampened.
"Everyone was so nice and lovely, no one was cranky, everyone was amazing," she said.
Ms Taylor understood a great number of young people turned up.
"The younger age group is keen to get vaccinated as they don't want to be restricted anymore - they want to carry on with their lives," she said.
"I know there's a big shortage of vaccines in Batemans Bay and surrounding areas, where people can't get an appointment or have to wait until mid-November or later."
Narooma Lighthouse Surgery was supported by the federal government and became a Respiratory Clinic last year, also equipped as a COVID-19 testing clinic.
Ms Taylor said the clinic was dedicated to providing vaccines to the community. Anyone who was not from an "area of concern" was able to walk-in and get the jab on Sunday.
"We were happy taking people from the Bega Valley, northern Eurobodalla and as far west as Cooma and Queanbeyan," she said.
Staff operated the clinic from 9am-4pm.
"They did an amazing job and worked their butts off all day long," Ms Taylor said.
"It was a huge day and pretty exhausting. They're an amazing bunch of people."
After a positive COVID-19 case was confirmed in Batemans Bay on Monday, Ms Taylor said calls came rushing in from people wanting to book a vaccination appointment.
"There is a sense of urgency," Ms Taylor said.
She said the clinic was now hesitant to take people outside the Narooma-Bermagui area.
"We are not sure what is entailed with the case in Batemans Bay, so we are asking people who want to come from Batemans Bay, to wait to see what develops," she said.
For vaccinations, the Narooma Respiratory Clinic was booked out to the end of September.
"We are struggling to get anyone in until the end of the month," Ms Taylor said.
For those who received their first dose of Pfizer on Sunday, Ms Taylor said their second dose would be available on Sunday, September 26.
"It will be a second walk-in clinic, but only for those who came on Sunday to receive their second vaccination," she said.
She advised people to stagger themselves and arrive at the same time they received their first vaccination.
Ms Taylor said the registration process will be a lot quicker.
"We acknowledged the wait was longer than it should have been and we will have more staff as well," she said.
A walk-in clinic was also coming to the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club from Thursday, September 9 to Saturday, September 11. Anyone aged 18 or older can attend the clinic without a booking and receive a free AstraZeneca vaccine.
