- Published:
- Tuesday 9 March 2021
The Victorian Government is continuing to work with the Commonwealth on their coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination program with the launch of additional hospital vaccination hubs in regional Victoria.
Minister for Health Martin Foley today visited Latrobe Regional Hospital in Traralgon to launch the latest hub and congratulate local frontline health workers who were among the first in Eastern Victoria to be vaccinated.
Two thirds of hospital vaccination hubs in Victoria are now regionally based, with hubs managed by Goulburn Valley Health and Albury Wodonga Health also commencing this week. Victoria’s vaccine rollout will scale up according to the priority groups assigned to us by the Commonwealth, as has been the case from the beginning.
Since 22 February, hospital vaccination hubs have served Victorians in phase 1a of the Commonwealth-led program, including Hotel Quarantine workers, airport and port workers, and at-risk frontline health staff such as those in COVID-19 screening clinics, specialist COVID-19 wards, Intensive Care Units and Emergency Departments.
With Victoria receiving 50,800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine last Friday, hospital vaccination hubs at Austin Health, Barwon Health, Monash Health and Western Health will now begin administering the newly delivered AstraZeneca vaccine.
In rolling out the AstraZeneca vaccine and as we move to the Commonwealth’s 1b phase, there will be more local vaccination centres linked to the state’s community health organisations and hospitals, which are coordinated by the nine Local Public Health Units currently delivering services through hospital vaccination hubs.
The expansion will allow Victoria to commence vaccinations for other Commonwealth priority groups, including police, fire and other emergency services, and other healthcare workers.
There will also be more locations for Victorians in the Commonwealth’s priority cohorts to get vaccinated including fixed-site services at hospitals and community health centres, mobile outreach services, and high-volume centres located at large community sites.
This builds on the Commonwealth’s work, as they are responsible for delivering vaccines through general practices, community pharmacies and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations.
As at 8 March, more than 15,494 doses of the vaccine have been administered at Victoria’s hospital vaccination hubs. For more information about the COVID-19 Vaccination Program, visit health.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Martin Foley
“We now have hubs in place to deliver this vaccine throughout regional Victoria. The vaccine is safe, effective and free, and it will help us all get back to doing the things we love.”
“With the additional AstraZeneca vaccine now available, we’re ready to scale up in a big way with more supplies, more priority populations and more sites right across the state.”
Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“This has been an incredibly tough 18 months for Gippsland communities, but this safe and free vaccine provides us with hope – and a way back to normality for everyone.”