The Mercure Hotel Convention Centre will become a Ballarat Health Services-led community COVID-19 vaccination clinic from Monday.
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The announcement puts an end to uncertainty over when the vaccine would be available in large numbers in Ballarat and relieve anxiety for many particularly elderly residents keen to be vaccinated against the virus.
Until this week the jab has only been available to the public through a limited number of GP clinics and the UFS COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic clinic in Drummond Street. BHS staff have had access to vaccinations through the hospital.
Vaccination hubs are already operational in other major regional cities across Victoria.
UFS chief executive Lynne McLennan said their clinic was booked out until the end of May, so the announcement of the new large-scale community clinic would be a relief to many.
"This is really good news because we definitely need more capacity in this region," she said.
"I think it will reduce anxiety for people who are quite anxious to get their shot earlier rather than later ... despite the fact there's no community transmission in Victoria at the moment.
"This has been going on over a year now and psychologically it's important to some people to get their shot as soon as they can."
The first week of operations at the BHS Health Services Community Vaccination Clinic (BHS CVC) will be dedicated to vaccinating phase 1A priority front-line health care workers and Phase 1B critical and high risk workers including emergency services.
From April 19 the clinic will expand to vaccinating other people eligible under priority phase 1B including other health care workers, adults aged 70 and over, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults 55 and over, and adults with an underlying medical condition or significant disability.
According to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics snapshot of Ballarat's population, based on the 2016 census, there are more than 18,000 Ballarat residents aged 70+ and therefore eligible for vaccinations in the 1B phase of the roll-out.
The community vaccination centre, which state health minister Martin Foley announced on Thursday, will only vaccinate people who have made a booking. It will not take walk-in patients without an appointment.
On Thursday Ballarat Community Health also opened appointments for COVID-19 vaccine shots at their Sebastopol, Smythesdale, Wendouree and Lucas clinics, which can be booked online
"The information we want to get out to the public is to make appointment if they are in the 1A or 1B groups through our website or phone. We encourage people to check the eligibility tracker and make sure they are eligible for the vaccination, then make an appointment.
"There has been a huge uptake which is really great and we are trying to encourage everyone to get it."
In addition to the Mercure Hotel and Convention Centre, Mr Foley announced a new mass vaccination centre at the Melbourne Showgrounds which will join five existing large-scale vaccination centres across the state plus dozens more hospital vaccination hubs, sub-hubs, and outreach delivery services that have so far vaccinated 129,537 Victorians in the high-priority phase 1A and 1B risk groups.
Mr Foley and acting premier James Merlino also announced a goal of 300,000 vaccinations in Victoria by the middle of next month.
Mr Foley said the goal of 300,000 vaccinations by May 16 was based on projection of vaccine distribution from the Commonwealth Government.
"In late February we started with hospital-based hubs which we have grown over the course of the last seven weeks ... based on the projections the Commonwealth is giving us," Mr Foley said.
The announcement of new vaccination centres comes on the same day that hotel quarantine resumed in Victoria.
"Victoria's vaccine roll-out is time, on target and on track to deliver 300,000 total doses by the middle of May," said acting premier James Merlino.
"We understand the success of the roll-out relies on Victorians having confidence in the program. With a clear, articulated and public statement of our aims, we'll ensure Victorians understand exactly how we're tracking."
IN OTHER NEWS
Bookings for the BHS CVC are now open to people who fall into priority group 1A and 1B. At present, appointments are only able to be made by calling the the Victorian Vaccine Call Centre on 1800 675 398 but BHS hope to provide online bookings in the future.
When people call, they will be asked a series of screening questions to confirm eligibility and then they will be booked in to receive the vaccine.
People can check their phase 1B eligibility here.
Alternative vaccination sites can be found on the Commonwealth's eligibility checker and booking system.
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