Vaccination our best protection

As the Covid outbreak in NSW continues to spread all of NSW has now been declared a red zone.

It’s a timely reminder of the importance of being vaccinated.

Victoria has now closed the border. This means anyone who returns from NSW now has to quarantine for 14 days.

Anyone who returned from an orange zone in NSW before 11.59pm last Sunday must be tested within 72 hours and isolate until they receive a negative result.

Even people who have not been interstate are being urged to remain vigilant.

Bass Coast Health CEO Jan Child said it’s still incredibly important that people do the right thing and follow the current health directives.

“If you’ve got a sniffle, get tested and stay home until you get your results,” Ms Child stressed.

“And if you’re out, use the QR code and check in wherever you go.

“I think the community is doing incredibly well. We can see from the postcode information collected at our testing sites that local people are coming forward.

“People are being responsible about quarantining if they’ve been in a red zone. People are doing the right thing.

“But we really want to make sure what is happening in the other states doesn’t come here.”

Ms Child said the Phillip Island Drive Through site would continue to operate, with numbers “solid enough to keep the testing tent open”.

There were 239 tests done in Cowes in the first week of July.

In coming weeks, depending on demand, BCH could look at alternating testing days between the Wonthaggi and Cowes drive through sites.

Vaccination

At the mass vaccination clinic at the Wonthaggi Town Hall, Ms Child said it was business as usual, with the clinic open six days this week.

The clinic has administered close to 7000 vaccinations since opening and would continue to operate as normal at this stage.

Ms Child said the clinic was only accepting walk-in for Pfizer vaccinations for health care and disability workers and any 1a category workers.

With the supply chain for Pfizer slowing, Ms Child said the clinic could drop down to three to four days “until there is a more solid supply”, or have less vaccination cubicles operating.

“All current bookings will proceed, with a strong focus on getting second doses done.”

Ms Child said it’s likely there would be reduced Pfizer supply through until September, but from October through to December she predicted supply would be plentiful and the clinic would again ramp up.

Pfizer vaccinations would also be available through Wonthaggi Medical Group from July 20.

Ms Child stressed there was plenty of the AstraZeneca vaccine currently available.

She encouraged people over 60 who were eligible for AstraZeneca to book in and said the glitch last week in the online booking system had been fixed.

“We understand there are still booking frustrations but please keep trying.

“There are sessions available, so please book in at www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/book-your-vaccine... or call 1800 675 398.”

She admitted the issues with vaccine supply had been frustrating.

“We had just got it going really well, with good staff and good processes.”

BCH’s continued focus is on maintaining the staff and processes in place at the vaccination centre, as it waits for the vaccine supply to improve.

“Our biggest concern is losing staff. If they go and work in a city vaccination clinic, we might lose them,” Ms Child said.

“We are trying to maintain our core vaccination team and manage staff so we have as many people ready as possible when the Pfizer vaccine is widely available again.”

She said an outreach program, where staff go out and administer vaccinations for vulnerable residents, is also being considered.