Hello and welcome to your latest Covid Vaccination Hub Bulletin.
As noted in a recent WH Operations Bulletin, the Vaccination Hub has reached the major milestone of 400,000 vaccinations, with over 430,000 now recorded. I’d like to add my congratulations for this achievement to Lisa Smith, Project Director of the West Metro COVID-19 Vaccination Program and the entire team delivering and supporting vaccination across the West.
The Hub continues to develop innovative Outreach Services within the Western Metro Region of Melbourne. Outreach Services have started vaccinating Western Health inpatients, and in response to the mystery COVID-19 case at Al Taqwa College, set up a pop-up vaccination clinic on site. Read more below.
In an Australian first, the Vaccination Hub opened a drive thru COVID-19 vaccination centre today in Melton at the vacant Bunnings building on Barries Road. Read more below.
In addition, the Vaccination Hub at Werribee Hospital recommences from Wednesday and the recently opened Wyndham Vaccination Hub is open 7 days per week over the lock down period and is looking to expand its capacity.
A reminder that the Pfizer vaccine is available for first dose for all health care workers irrespective of age. Please also ensure you have your second dose of vaccine. You are not optimally protected against COVID-19 without 2 doses. Call the Victorian Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 to book your appointment or book via the online booking portal.
Please note that as of Monday last week, state run vaccination centres will administer the second dose of Pfizer vaccine at least six weeks after the first dose. People who already have their second Pfizer dose appointment booked, can attend their appointment as planned.
Two significant changes to eligibility for Covid vaccination will happen from today:
- The Melbourne Showgrounds is one of nine State vaccination centres trialing expansion of access to the AstraZeneca vaccine for all individuals aged 18 to 39 years.
- Young people aged 12-15 who are at higher risk of severe illness if they contract COVID-19 are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. These young people will be encouraged to get their vaccine at a general practice or community health service, although vaccines will be available through vaccination centres.
For the above, Bookings are to be made via the online portal or call centre on 1800 675 398.
Additional bookings have been released into the system to accommodate the additional access to the AstraZeneca vaccine. We are still accepting walk-ins for people that are due for their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Sunshine Hospital and Melbourne Showgrounds Vaccination Hubs.
Finally, to support engagement of our community in COVID vaccination, the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network has launched a new series of vaccination videos in 20 languages. Read more about the “Goodbye COVID” videos below.
Check out the COVID-19 Vaccination microsite to keep up to date with everything relating to the COVID-19 vaccination.
Regards,
Shane Crowe
Executive Director Nursing & Midwifery
Vaccination Outreach
The Vaccination Hub’s Outreach Services are available for both Western Health inpatients and residents in community services in municipalities within the Western Metropolitan Region of Melbourne.
Outreach Services operate as a flexible model, which may involve temporary site set up for a vaccination space or a mobile service. Outreach is supporting patient vaccination, with services already reaching patients on Wards 2E and 2H at Sunshine Hospital as well Orygen Youth Mental Health in Footscray.
Additionally, in response to the mystery COVID-19 case at Al Taqwa College on Thursday 5 August 2021, Western Health worked with the Department of Health to establish a pop-up vaccination centre at the college in Truganina on that day (pictured left), and were administering vaccine within 8 hours.
For additional schools that are now exposure sites, we are working with the Department of Health and those schools to prioritise these communities for our purpose-built, contained red zone vaccination centres at both Sunshine Hospital and the Melbourne Showgrounds Vaccination Hubs. These facilities are completely separate from the main vaccination centres, ensuring there is no cross-over with the public that are not considered close contacts attending these sites.
Melton Drive Thru Vaccination
Western Health has been working with the Department of Health and ATAGI for a number of weeks to develop a safe, effective and efficient drive thru COVID-19 vaccination model. We are pleased to announce as a result of this work, Australia’s first drive thru COVID-19 vaccination centre opened today at the vacant Bunnings building on Barries Road, Melton West. Western Health will be working with other health services to share the model to allow for other drive thru vaccination centres to open in the near future.
Our CEO, Russell Harrison provided a great overview of the new drive thru centre when interviewed this morning on ABC Melbourne – Mornings with Virginia Trioli. Click here to listen to this six minute recording.
Click here to read more about the opening of the centre, including a transcript of an ABC story that provides photos and information on the background and function of the site, with quotes from our own Lisa Smith, Project Director of the West Metro COVID-19 Vaccination Program.
To help control traffic, bookings for the Melton drive-thru vaccination clinic can be made via the online portal or call centre on 1800 675 398.
Any people who have a history of anaphylaxis, fainting or other risks will be diverted to the new Melton high volume vaccination centre being established on site. This new 26 cubicle centre will open on Wednesday this week.
Once established, both the drive thru and high volume vaccination centres will operate from 8am – 4.30pm, seven days a week.
Goodbye Covid Videos
The North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network is pleased to launch a new series of vaccination videos in 20 languages. The “Goodbye COVID” videos feature more than 60 volunteers from culturally and linguistically diverse communities speaking in their own language on why they’re getting vaccinated.
Click here or on the Symbol to view this video in multiple languages.
Please share these videos with family and friends. Vaccination bookings can be made via the 1800 675 398 hotline or online booking system.