MOST eligible Ballarat residents must wait a little longer to receive their first vaccine dose against the deadly coronavirus, despite Monday being official jab-time for phase 1b.
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Ballarat Medical Centre has joined a growing number of clinics set to likely wait until after Easter to start vaccinations.
The centre's practice manager Julie Shelley confirmed the clinic had received an initial 80 doses for the AstraZeneca vaccination, as promised by the federal health department.
Ms Shelley said the staff needed more time to get the right processes in place and prioritise the clinic's most vulnerable patients - the clinic has more than 1700 eligible patients aged 70-plus on their books.
This follows Ballarat Community Health also making clear it would delay phase 1b vaccinations until after Easter to ensure staff at clinics in Sebastopol, Lucas, Wendouree and Smythesdale were best prepared.
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Phones at Ballarat Group Practice clinics went unanswered but the group's website featured notification COVID-19 vaccinations would start on Wednesday.
Wendouree senior Margaret Goff told The Courier she was happy to wait her turn if needed but was "livid" at the federal government's celebrations and confusing messaging.
Ms Goff said she felt strongly mislead into thinking she could organise a jab from Monday as a physically frail woman aged in her 70s. She was dismayed to learn it was far more complicated.
Ms Goff's general practitioner's clinic in Creswick was not on the initial government roll-out, made public last week. Her wait could be until at least the end of April.
I'm angry for making me think I can ring up and just get an appointment now
- Margaret Goff
"I'm angry for making me think I can ring up and just get an appointment now," Ms Goff said. "I'm happy to get it whenever but I have to organise someone to take me. It's not good enough. We're told to check on the internet but a lot of us do not have the internet and I can't easily go to the library because I am not well."
UFS will run a Commonwealth-funded vaccination respiratory clinic for phase 1b residents, with details set to be confirmed this week.
More than 1000 general practices have registered to administer the vaccine, with another 3500 clinics to begin within the next four weeks.
People eligible for the vaccine under phase 1b include those aged 70-plus, Indigenous Peoples aged 55-plus, adults with underlying medical conditions or disabilities and healthcare and emergency services workers.
More than six million Australians were eligible under this stage and Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt said 250,000 doses were available this week.
Federal health secretary Brendan Murphy said it was an exciting milestone in Australia's fight against the deadly virus.
"I know there is a lot of enthusiasm, which is great, to get vaccinated in Australia," Professor Murphy said on Monday.
"But be patient and wait, look at the eligibility checker, and wait for appointments to come up."
For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine visit the federal health department's page here or the Vaccine Eligibility Checker.
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