Dear colleagues,
If you’ve been watching the Premier’s press conferences over the last few days, you’ll have seen announcements are coming thick and fast, particularly around additional cohorts who can now access priority bookings.
Western Health priority booking for staff and household contacts
There has been a huge demand generated by our priority booking system for the vaccination of Western Health staff, family and household members. This has been fantastic.
We apologise if you have yet to be able to get your appointment for yourself and/or your family and household contacts confirmed.
We have received thousands of requests, so we ask for your patience – we will get to every booking request and will confirm this back with you via email as soon as we possibly can. Please do not continue to email multiple times, as this adds to the work being undertaken by this team.
If you have yet to access this service and would like to, to make a staff, family and household contact vaccination booking request, please email covidvaccination@wh.org.au and provide the following information:
- Staff member name
- Staff member employee number
- Area of work (ward / unit / service)
- And the following for each family and/or household member:
- Date of birth
- Email and phone number
- Address
- Medicare card
- Preferred Western Health Vaccination Hub location
A member of the administration team will make the appointment and send you a confirmation email as soon as possible.
For more information, view the quick reference guide.
12-15 year-olds now eligible for Pfizer
As of Monday 13 September, 12-15 year-olds are now eligible for Pfizer. Bookings are available via the 1800 675 398 hotline or online booking system. The change in eligibility is based on updated advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. Informed consent can be provided: by a parent or guardian in attendance with the young person; a consent form signed by a parent or guardian presented by the young person; the young person may provide their own consent if deemed to be ‘Gillick competent’ (mature minors).
Priority Pfizer appointments for construction workers
Construction workers now have access to priority Pfizer vaccination with a blitz running from Monday 13 to Sunday 19 September. This focus on construction workers is in addition to the current promotion of vaccination happening across north-west Melbourne. Appointments can be made via the 1800 675 398 hotline. Walk-in appointments will be available at our Melton West and Wyndham Eagle Stadium hubs from 8am-11am every day and 4pm-8pm on Thursday and Fridays until 26 September.
Priority Pfizer appointments for pregnant people
Pregnant people in the later stages of pregnancy (24 weeks’ gestation) or whose pregnancy is determined as complicated or high risk can now access priority appointments via the 1800 675 398 hotline. Attestation (can be verbal) or a signed eligibility declaration form is all that is required for people who are accessing reserved Pfizer appointments. A reminder that all pregnant women are able to access the Pfizer vaccine via calling the 1800 675 398 hotline or online booking system.
COVID-19 vaccination of residential aged care workers now mandatory
The Victorian Government has issued its public health direction on mandatory COVID-19 vaccination of residential aged care workers. The direction makes provision for the introduction of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination of workers in residential aged care in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. The direction came into effect on 7 September 2021 and is aligned with Victoria’s State of Emergency declaration. As of 17 September, residential aged care workers must be able to show evidence that they have had at lease one dose of COVID-19 vaccine or that they have an appointment to receive their first dose by 1 October 2021. Western Health’s vaccination hubs will continue to prioritise residential aged care workers in the lead up to this deadline.
Additional Pfizer doses coming
The Victorian Government will provide additional doses to vaccination centres in the Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs over the next two weeks. The Department of Health is also working with health services to set up more new community pop-vaccination sites across 100 priority postcodes.
It was R U OK? Day last week – a good reminder to check in with yourself and others, and to seek support if needed.
Regards,
Shane Crowe
Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery