New vaccine appointments available

The state government is calling on all eligible Victorians to book in for their vaccine.

Across the state, thousands of appointments for the COVID-19 Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are available over the coming month, with further appointments set aside for priority health care workers and aged care and disability workers yet to be vaccinated.

The government said almost 60,000 Pfizer appointments and thousands for AstraZenca were now open.

Bass Coast Health (BCH) encouraged any locals eligible to receive their vaccination to book into the community clinic at the Wonthaggi Town Hall, noting there were people in the area eligible to receive the vaccine that hadn’t done so yet.

While the centre does accept walk-ins for AstraZeneca shots and is currently not operating at capacity, people are encouraged to book in, to help BCH allocate the appropriate number of staff.

Anyone without a booking is advised to come during the middle of the day, with the busiest periods in the mornings, before 11am and after 3pm.

Bass Coast Health CEO Jan Child said BCH’s vaccine roll out is reliant on receiving adequate supply.

“Our community should be aware that supply may change depending on where vaccines are diverted according to areas where Covid is posing the greatest risk at the time.”

Ms Child also called on members of the public to be patient and kind and respect staff at the vaccination clinic, who are simply following the rules.

“Our Vaccination team is here to implement the rules of the day. We are also required to ensure members of the public are safe and we are required therefore to comply with QR code scanning and screening requirements to minimise the Covid risk to our staff and the general public,” she said.

“I am saddened by some members of the public who are clearly frustrated and take it out on our staff. We can assure you that we are working to get as many people vaccinated as possible.

“We are all committed to providing a great service for our health service and community and we ask that you be patient and kind as we manage the changing landscape.”

Supply, demand and effectiveness

The state government has stressed that both COVID-19 Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are safe and effective.

A recent analysis shows that none of the locally acquired COVID-19 cases hospitalised during the July outbreak were fully vaccinated, which further highlights the importance of getting a vaccine as soon as you’re eligible.

To help address vaccine hesitancy, the Department of Health will also publish graphs and tables every week online showing age and gender of vaccine recipients at Victoria’s vaccination centres, as well as the type of vaccine administered.

The 60,000 new Pfizer appointments were added to the system following Victoria’s decision to revise the recommended Pfizer second dose interval to six weeks.

This has freed up supply available for first dose appointments now, because the demand for subsequent second dose appointments can be met with September’s projected increase in supply.

In a statement Gippsland Region Public Health Unit said the decision to extend the period between Pfizer doses would “help give more Gippslanders some level of protection against the virus, allowing more people to receive their first doses in the coming weeks.”

It said the change is consistent with Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) guidelines.

There is no change for people who already had their second Pfizer dose booked and they should attend their appointment as planned.

There is no change to the interval for the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Victorians currently eligible for the vaccine under the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 vaccination program include everyone aged 40 and over, and large numbers of people under 40 such as health care workers and people with specified underlying medical conditions.

The government announced last week that 18-39-year-olds will be able to receive an AstraZeneca vaccination, with informed consent, at state-run vaccinations centres, including Wonthaggi.

Gippsland Region Public Health Unit said bookings could be made for anyone aged 18-39 years, to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The GRPHU also advised young people between 12-15 years who are at a higher risk of severe illness if they contracted Covid, are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine, with parent consent.

This includes children with specific medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, cardiac and circulatory congenital anomalies, epilepsy and those who are immuno-compromised.

Bookings can be made through the normal channels and children must attend the clinic with a parent or guardian.

Book online at coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccine or call 1800 675 398 to secure your COVID-19 vaccine appointment.