COVID jab figures

Gippsland people have responded strongly to the call to be vaccinated against COVID.

About half of those aged 15 and over have already had at least one COVID vaccination. And more than 20 per cent are now fully vaccinated.

Figures released on Friday showed more than 103,000 people had been vaccinated at Gippsland general practices and GP-led respiratory clinics since March 22. Gippsland Primary Health Network chief executive officer Amanda Proposch said Gippsland figures showed “our regional vaccination ratios are exceeding the national equivalent which is an incredible effort.” 

As of August 2, Gippsland GP clinics had administered 72,952 doses since March 22, including 20,382 second doses with Gippsland Respiratory Clinics giving 24,538 vaccination doses, including 7512 doses in the same period. Since then, a further 5792 doses have been given in four days with Gippsland tracking well above the national average in doses per 100 people.

Ms Proposch encouraged everyone who is eligible to have a COVID-19 vaccination to do so as soon as possible. 

“We understand that some people might be anxious,” Ms Proposch said. “If you are, please talk to your local doctor or health service, and importantly, listen to the expert health advice. It is the best way to keep our community safe.”

More opportunities for people in Warragul and surroundings areas to get COVID injections became available from late last month with the opening of a special clinic at the former Warragul Railway Goods Shed in the railway station car park accessed off Alfred St. Up to 700 people a week are receiving vaccinations at the clinic and since the roll-out began about 154,000 Gippsland people have received at least one injection.

The clinic is open from 9am to 3.30pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays but bookings are essential. Appointments must be made via the Victorian Coronavirus Hotline 1800 675 398 and times are usually available within two weeks. West Gippsland Healthcare Group chief executive officer Dan Weeks said the community clinic staffed by a specialist clinical team and established in partnership with Gippsland Region Public Health Unit was in response to the large number of people seeking the vaccinations.

The State Government announced on Sunday that anyone aged 18 to 39 years old who provides informed consent will now be able to get vaccinated at Victorian’s state-run vaccination centres. 
The expanded access to AstraZeneca follows recent advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation and will ensure more Victorians who want the vaccine have easy access to it.

The AstraZeneca vaccine also is available to 18 to 39-year-olds at participating GPs, respiratory clinics and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. Australia-wide statistics released by the Federal government show the Gippsland region is outstripping much of the country in the take-up of COVID vaccines.

On August 1 the percentage of Victorians vaccinated in the eight designated country regions exceeded those of metropolitan Melbourne’s eight statistical regions. Nationally 41 per cent of 15 years and older people had received at least one injection, almost 10 per cent below the Gippsland figure and 19.2 per cent, or 3.93 million, of Australians were fully vaccinated.

State Health Minister Martin Foley has urged people to make appointments with extra Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines now available. He said community clinics, general practitioners, pharmacists and aboriginal controlled health organisations were administering the vaccines across Victoria. Mr Foley said the need to be vaccinated was demonstrated by the fact that none of the people hospitalised for COVID during the outbreak in Victoria late last month were fully vaccinated.

Federal Member for Monash Russell Broadbent is calling for people in his electorate to put their views to his office on the current debate about whether vaccine passports should be introduced to enable fewer restrictions on movement for those that are fully vaccinated.  He said over the past few months he’d been contacted by many constituents pleading with him to vote against introducing vaccine passports. However, he said he also knew many people were supportive of the idea.

Member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath also wants the State government to implement rapid testing for the COVID virus in Gippsland. After having a rapid antigen test before entering parliament last week Ms Bath said results were available in 15 minutes. The government should roll-out the test in essential settings including border checkpoints, care settings and major events to quickly identity infectious people, she said.