Vax trial thumbs up at Churchill Island

Phillip Island Nature Parks reported positive customer feedback from their first weekend taking part in regional Victoria’s vaccine “passport” trial.

Alongside North Pier in Cowes, Churchill Island Café was the second island hospitality venue to agree to take part in the state government trial, where patrons prove they are fully vaccinated using either the Service Victoria app, a COVID-19 digital certificate displayed on a smartphone, a printed version of their COVID-19 digital certificate, immunisation history statement or a medical exemption certificate from their GP.

PINP CEO Catherine Basterfield said the check-in process at the café had been smooth, although staff had to help some older customers to load the certificate, adding that most were accustomed to checking in, and having to show ID to prove they were from regional Victoria.

“We welcomed a steady flow of around 150 visitors across the first three days of the trial and received a lot of positive feedback from guests who said they felt safe coming to a location where all of the staff and visitors were fully vaccinated,” Catherine said.

“There were plenty of staff on site to assist visitors, and aside from a small number of technological challenges in linking vaccination certificates with the Service Victoria app, the weekend ran very smoothly.”

She said there had been a few aggressive customers since the trial started, who she believed were not really wanting to visit the cafe, but were “there to make a point”.

When the Advertiser visited Churchill Island, about three groups were turned away, but there was no confrontation. Two cars also voluntarily turned around before the bridge after seeing the sign about being a Covid trial site.

Catherine said Churchill Island was the ideal site for the test due to its smaller size and variety of services.

Regional trial

According to the state government, about 15 venues in six local government areas operated with higher capacity and density limits under the “vaccinated economy”.

The trials allowed testing of the vaccine certification technology, confirmed the processes for establishing vaccination status, as well as fine-tuning training for staff and support for business owners.

Victorians can add their COVID-19 digital certificate to the Service Victoria app through MyGov or the Express Medicare Plus App.

Regionally based trial case managers from the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions provided direct assistance to each business throughout the trials.

The venues helped test settings attached to the 80 per cent double-vaccination mark on Victoria’s Roadmap to Deliver the National Plan – a threshold due to be achieved this Friday, October 29.