THE FIRST high-risk, frontline healthcare workers in Ballarat will receive jabs against the deadly coronavirus from Monday.
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Ballarat Health Services chief Dale Fraser confirmed the first Pfizer vaccinations were on schedule to arrive at BHS Base Hospital where a hub has been set up to inoculate the region's healthcare workers. This will include top-priority staff from St John of God Ballarat Hospital and other healthcare providers.
This comes after a week of confusion among private aged care facilities in Ballarat where a vaccination program, a Commonwealth responsibility, experienced delays and booking cancellations from contracted immunisation provider Aspen Medical.
Senator Sarah Henderson's office could confirm one Ballarat age care facility received COVID-19 vaccinations on Friday.
Mr Fraser said the BHS hub would receive about 400 thawed Pfizer doses next week to carefully start vaccinations before stepping up the program volume. BHS has identified about 2000 high-priority staff for the phase 1a roll-out.
"If you think, not just what's happening in Ballarat, but what covers a region of 250,000 people each needing two vaccinations this is a Herculean project in a short space of time," Mr Fraser said. "From next week we begin that first journey as such."
BHS is also working to secure a larger mass vaccination hub site for Ballarat, from which most people will likely receive their jab once vaccinations were ready. Mass vaccination sites will also be established in Ararat and Horsham and mobile units will in turn be deployed to less-accessible areas.
Mr Fraser said it was vital to get through the vaccination process as quickly and safely as possibly to reach those who wanted the jab.
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Mr Fraser made clear Grampians Public Health Unit, overseeing the public program, had recruited Ballarat's top vaccination specialists, who had undergone extra COVID-specific training. Tightly managed processes, with extra checks, were in place for handling, storing and delivering the vaccination in Ballarat.
"This is our way out of what we have seen the last 12 months. This is worldwide," Mr Fraser said. "I encourage people to think carefully about the vaccine. While it may not be your choice, it is the community's choice. As with weairng a mask, hand-washing and social distancing - getting a vaccine is as much about you as it is your family and your other loved ones."
Mr Fraser made clear Grampians Public Health Unit, overseeing the public program, had recruited Ballarat's top vaccination specialists, who had undergone extra COVID-specific training. Tightly managed processes, with extra checks, were in place for handling, storing and delivering the vaccination in Ballarat.
BHS has secured an ultra-low temperature freezer for storing the Pfizer vaccine at minus-74 degrees. This vaccine arrives in 30-kilogram boxes with 20kg of dry ice. It takes a three-person process to transfer vials and a five-minute window to thoroughly inspect stock, ensuring it has not been tampered with or damaged, before being stored.
Grampians Public Health Unit clinical director Rosemary Aldrich said developing the program had been a lot of work from BHS staff, but it was "very precise work" to ensure community confidence in this process.
Associate Professor Rosemary Aldrich said the team had moved from a standing start, like the rest of the nation, with only a few weeks to get up to speed.
"The essential mission of identifying who gets a vaccine, getting a vaccine and putting them together sounds simple because we've been doing it for decades," Associate Professor Aldrich said. "On this occasion because of the particular requirements first of the Pfizer vaccine...Those requirements are very, very specific."
Associate Professor Aldrich said BHS staff were generally excited to be one step away from the vaccination roll-out starting in Ballarat. She said staff appreciated the vaccine would be made available to those who need it most first.
"We're excited but we're patient remembering there's no more risk in the community than there was last week," Associate Professor Aldrich said. "The vaccine is here and we need to be efficient we need to get really into this. Winter is coming and we know COVID likes cold but I'm confident my fellow health service colleagues are happy to wait their turn knowing their turn will come in due course."
The federal government has pledged four million Australians will be vaccinated by the end of next month.
Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson said any Ballarat private aged care facility that had its roll-out scheduled postponed would be contacted by a provider to reschedule soon.
"Nationally, the vaccination strategy is proceeding as planned and we are delighted by the uptake we are seeing," Ms Henderson said.
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