WELLINGTON Shire residents aged over 70 can now book to receive the COVID-19 vaccination from one of 22 GP clinics across Gippsland as part of the phase 1b rollout.
The first week of the rollout will take place locally at Inglis Medical Centre, Sale, and more broadly across Gippsland at Hazelwood Health Centre, Churchill, Breed Street Clinic, Traralgon, Hillcrest Family Medicine, Traralgon, Mid Valley Family Medicine, Morwell, Paynesville Medical Centre, Advantage HealthPoint, Bairnsdale, Gippsland Lakes Complete Health GP Practice, Lakes Entrance, and Cunninghame Arm Medical Centre, Lakes Entrance.
A spokesperson for Gippsland Primary Health Network said more practices would be added in the next four weeks.
All Australians will have access to the vaccine, however doses are limited so priority groups will be among the first to receive it.
Gippsland Primary Health Network chief executive Amanda Proposch said the general practices approved by the Australian Department of Health to participate in Phase 1b of the vaccine rollout would receive supply of vaccines progressively in coming weeks.
“It is important for all of us, as a community, to understand that this is a considered phased approach, in response to the supply and availability of the vaccine which will become more and more as the vaccine is produced in Australia,” Ms Proposch said.
“In Phase 1b, eligible people include anyone over 70 years old, health care workers, younger adults with an underlying condition and high-risk workers like emergency services personnel and meat processing workers.
“It also includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are over 55.”
People can use the Australian government’s COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker to find out when they can expect to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and if they are eligible for Phase 1b. They can also find the location of their nearest vaccination clinic, with information on how to book.
So far more than 200,000 Australians have been vaccinated, including more than 500 aged care facilities and 45,000 aged care residents.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration at the weekend approved the domestic production of the AstraZeneca vaccine, with the first batches expected to be released “in the next few days”.
The Department of Health has launched a live website through Healthdirect where people can find their nearest vaccination clinic. People can check their eligibility online through the eligibility checker.
