This comes as the city's major jab hub has been forced to slash appointments by 300 per day - right when the state was plunged into its sixth lockdown on Thursday night.

COVID response chief Jeroen Weimar said the state was not reallocating existing supply across its mass vaccination centres, which include Ballarat Health Services-run clinic based at the Mercure.

But Mr Weimar also made it clear that existing and available bookings were to match vaccine supply.

"If you have an appointment for a vaccine, whether it's AstraZeneca or Pfizer, in the state system, that appointment will be honoured," Mr Weimar said.

"Let's be very clear about that. We have shortages of supply, we have more people wanting to get vaccinated than we have availability of vaccine, particularly for Pfizer.

"It's absolutely possible if you're in the Ballarat area and you're keen now to go and get a Pfizer vaccine, you may find a relatively small number of appointments."

Vaccine availability for the BHS centre is set and managed by Victoria's health department, according to supply.

Walk-ins for AstraZeneca have been blocked for Ballarat this weekend, but the centre will take walk-ups for people aged 60-plus from Monday.

Jab hours will be shortened, 8.30am to 3pm on Monday to Saturday, with 700 appointments each day. BHS aims to extend this back to 1000 per day once greater supply becomes available.

UFS, which runs the region's free Commonwealth-led vaccine clinic, is also feeling the supply strain. The UFS clinic is working to its capacity with waits for first Pfizer doses pushed to October but UFS also has a cancellation list to ensure no doses are wasted.

BHS also confirmed it would be vaccinating at the same rate within its shortened hours and the shift in hours was to allocate resources where needed, in line with vaccine supply.

Mr Weimar said the vaccine shortage had been months in the making.

"But we have all known for five months, six months, there's not much vaccine around, we all want to get more," Mr Weimar said. "We know there's more coming in a month or two and we'll be very keen to get it when it does arrive."

Ballarat's mass vaccination hub is also a key location for people in the wider region to access Pfizer, including the Hepburn Shire which remains waiting for a neighbouring vaccine centre to open in Kyneton.

The Courier understands some general practitioners in the region also have limited Pfizer supply.

New data this week shows Ballarat was lagging behind Bendigo and Geelong in vaccination rates. Bendigo leads the nation in first doses with 52.6 per cent of residents having already had their first jab of either vaccine.

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BHS confirmed demand at its Mercure base had been consistent the past six weeks. UFS has noticed strong demand leading into this lockdown but AstraZeneca jab times were still available within days.

UFS chief Lynne McLennan said many who were eligible to receive AstraZeneca were yet to roll up their sleeves and she urged them to take action in protecting the community.

"National Vaccination data shows that in the over-60s age group, 25 per cent of people still haven't received their first dose. This is a very alarming figure - we urge everyone over 60 to access the AstraZeneca vaccine as soon as possible," Ms McLennan said.

"It's important to remember that the Delta strain is highly infectious, and the rate of serious illness and death for people in this age group who catch COVID-19 is high. Health authorities therefore consider the benefit of vaccination far and away outweighs the risk of extremely rare side-effects."\

Under the existing roll-out, adults aged 40-plus are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine with Pfizer recommended for those aged 40 to 59.

Committee for Ballarat chief Michael Poulton reiterated his call on people across the city to book in for an appointment if they were eligible - even if this meant waiting.

"There are 700 appointments available every day via BHS and these opportunities are six days a week. Even if this is for the next six weeks, that's an awful lot of people they can get through," Mr Poulton said.

"Our voice is strong: book in and get vaccinated sooner rather than later...There will be the capacity to ramp up again in September and October when Pfizer supply is set to go up dramatically. Book in now, knowing more supply is going to come compared to being frustrated when there is a likely rush on this supply."

Victoria' health department is yet to respond to The Courier's queries.

Check your COVID-19 vaccine eligibility here.

Bookings for state-run facilities can be made by phoning 1800 675 398 (selection options 1, 1, 1) or online here.

Free appointments at the UFS vaccination clinic in Dana Street can be made online at ufs.com.au/vaccine or by phoning 4320 0891.

Also check with your general practitioner.

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