Vaccinations are key to conquering Covid

Bass Coast Health CEO Jan Child is urging people to get vaccinated or book in for their booster, to help keep the community safe from Covid.

“Omicron is still in the community and people need to get their booster,” she said.

“We had the highest vaccination rates in Gippsland initially, but people aren’t hunting down the vaccinations now. I think everyone is a bit tired and over it, but we need to keep promoting vaccinations, to help us get back to business as usual.”

She said mandates shouldn’t be needed for people to take up the vaccination offer.

“Whatever the rules say, you have more chance of staying out of hospital if you take that third dose. If you look at any evidence about Omicron, it will tell you the third dose is the thing that has made the difference. It’s so clear in every scenario that the third dose is critical.”

BCH has contacted local sports and community groups offering vaccination sessions, to try and reach as many people as possible.

“We’re asking the community to let us know how we can accommodate you. Tell us how we can help make this happen.”

She urged any group or business that wanted to organise a vaccination session to contact BCH.

The Community Vaccination Clinic in Wonthaggi is currently operating seven days a week and the Novavax will also soon be available. You can book online or simply walk in. Vaccination is also available through pharmacies and GPs.

“Keeping our vaccination rates high is our best defence for winter,” Ms Child said. “Statistics show that the lowest booster rates are in men aged 20-30 years old, and the rate in the over 70s is also not as high as we would like.”

BCH is also calling on teenagers aged 16 to 17 who are eligible for a booster to come forward.

“The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is advising everyone aged 16 years and over to receive a third dose,” said Ms Child.

“Our young people should be able to get on with learning in their last year or two at school and spend time with friends. A serious bout of Covid can seriously disrupt their lives and their schooling, and could lead to long-term health implications.”

In BCH managed Aged Care homes, Ms Child said all residents had received their third doses, with most other local aged care providers also having completed boosters for residents.

Currently in Victoria just under 50 per cent of adults have received their third vaccine dose.

Normal services resume

Although numbers are down from the Omicron peak in January, “we are not out of this yet,” warned Ms Child.

“There will be other variants. Summer is terrific, as we can all get outdoors, but that changes with winter. New variants will come and we will be at risk again.”

But she said it was the behaviour associated with the virus, not summer or winter, that was most important, including limiting our interactions, maintaining social distance, hand washing and mask wearing.

“We do need to figure out how to maintain those behaviours, particularly in winter when it’s harder to be outdoors, to create safe passage for all of us.”

This week, the Pandemic Code Brown in hospitals will wind down. Ms Child said for BCH, the Code Brown was about managing staff shortfalls at the peak of the Omicron wave.

“We had so many staff caught up with kids being infected, or being close contacts, but all of the furloughing changes and requirements to stay at home have shifted. We plan to have theatre back on February 21 and to have dental services back this week.”

Wonthaggi Hospital is now a “streaming hospital”, which means Covid patients will stay at the hospital if their condition is “within our capability” to manage said Ms Child, rather than automatically being transferred to Latrobe or a metropolitan hospital.

While several patients were being admitted each day, the majority of local cases where being managed through the Hospital in the Home program.

“Most people don’t get really sick; they experience mild to moderate symptoms,” she said.

“If symptoms are mild, we monitor the patient. If symptoms are moderate, our staff intervene with medication and anyone in more significant distress will be transferred to the hospital for care. This is becoming our new normal

“In Delta and the first wave, we had really critically unwell people, but in this wave, it’s rare. It does feel like the severity is less, and there’s no doubt the good vaccination rates here have helped.

“Vaccination in Bass Coast is still high compared to other parts of Gippsland and that’s something we should aspire to maintain,” Ms Child said. “It stood us in good stead during Delta and Omicron. We’ll be in this vaccination business for a while and it’s critical that we reach the people who need their booster.”

Vaccination bookings can be made online at portal.cvms.vic.gov.au or by calling 1800 675 398.

GPs or pharmacy vaccinations can also book online at covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/booking/