More than 100 people a day are expected to be vaccinated at the new community COVID vaccine hub opening in Warragul today.
The clinic will open three days a week at the Goods Shed in the Warragul Railway precinct.
The new clinic opened last week for aged care, disability and healthcare workers but from today will vaccinate community members.
A team of 12 nurse immunisers and support staff are working at the clinic each day and expect to give the COVID jab to 100 people a day.
The clinic will stock both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.
Bookings, via the vaccine clinic hotline, opened on Friday.
A number of private medical clinics around West Gippsland have been offering the AstraZeneca vaccine since April. Alternatively, locals had to travel to Traralgon or Berwick for their closest vaccine hubs.
Among the healthcare workers to queue up at the new clinic last week was Drouin paramedic Hannah Rosa who completed her vaccination with the second Pfizer jab.
Ms Rosa said because of rostering issues and the availability of Pfizer vaccines, she hadn’t received her first vaccination until three weeks ago.
“I just figured the side effects of COVID are a lot worse than the side effects of the vaccination so I should do the right thing and get vaccinated.
For Ms Rosa, vaccination was just “something you have to do in our line of work.”
WGHG chief executive officer Dan Weeks said the community clinic was in response to the large numbers of people seeking COVID-19 vaccinations.
Mr Weeks said the clinic would increase access for local people to take up vaccination to protect themselves, their families and the community.
“WGHG has a specialist clinical team who have been vaccinating healthcare staff and aged care residents since March with support from the GRPHU.
“The clinic will have three chairs available to the community and one additional chair dedicated to vaccinate healthcare and aged care workers,” he said.
WGHG is working in partnership with the Gippsland Region Public Health Unit (GRPHU) to deliver the service.
The clinic will be open for community members on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9am to 3.30pm by bookings only.
The clinic has been established at the Goods Shed building in the Warragul Railway precinct carpark (south side) with access from Alfred St.
COVID-19 vaccination is currently being offered to anyone over the age of 40 as well as people in Phase 1a and Phase 1b of the Commonwealth rollout schedule. People aged 50 years and over will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Other Gippsland vaccination clinics are located at Traralgon, Sale and Wonthaggi. There also is a clinic at Cranbourne and St John of God Hospital, Berwick.
Bookings for all clinics must be made via the Victorian State COVID-19 Hotline 1800 675 398. The central booking number will give you access to a date for your vaccination in the local area.