Work has been under way to develop innovative and non-traditional methods of extending vaccine reach in the region with BCH working alongside health, community and workplace partners on COVID-19 jab programs.

Vaccine pressure on the community is mounting with the Victorian government mandating all essential workers, metropolitan and regional, must have had a first dose by October 15 and by fully vaccinated by November 26.

Without meeting the statewide mandate, retail workers, personal trainers, parliamentary members, journalists, faith leaders, judges, police, lawyers, actors and professional sportspeople will not be able to continue working on-site.

The October 15 deadline will not replace Victoria's separate vaccine mandate timelines for aged care, healthcare, freight, construction and education workers.

Mr Duffy said there were motivated workforces to get the vaccine but ensuring adequate supply was critical.

BCH has been working with the major employers in Ballarat for on-site pop-up vaccine clinics.

"It's not that a lot of these people don't want it, but it's about balancing demands," Mr Duffy said.

"The vaccine becomes a priority but a lot of vulnerable people's top priorities are on housing, employment, food security and making sure they can support their children who are not at school."

Mr Duffy said access to general healthcare was a major issue for the community's most vulnerable people, including people living with disability, the elderly, people with chronic health conditions and people with lower socio-economic backgrounds.

He said existing poorer health outcomes made it particularly important this high-risk cohort had a chance to access the COVID-19 vaccine, not just for Ballarat but those in the broader region.

This comes as Moorabool Shire enters a snap seven-day lockdown.

Moorabool Shire, which borders City of Ballarat, includes part of Buninyong, Gordon, Ballan and Bacchus Marsh. The shire had 32 active COVID cases, including six new infections reported, on Friday.

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Grampians Public Health Unit has confirmed two known cases were in the western end of Moorabool Shire and both were coming towards the end of their infectious period.

Mr Duffy said there were small towns near Ballarat where people might not be able to easily access general practitioners or pharmacies.

"We know there are sections of the community who don't drive or catch public transport or the public transport infrastructure is not there to easily get them to a vaccine," Mr Duffy said. "It's critically important we try to identify these people. What we need is varying methods to access the population."

Drawing on learning from COVID outbreaks in Europe, the United States and Canada, BCH has been looking to innovate vaccination programs with community groups and sporting groups, as well as work places.

BCH has already had pop-up vaccinations for homeless people, in partnership with Uniting Ballarat. A weekly clinic with youth mental health program Headspace launched this week.

Moderna vaccines, an mRNA vaccine like Pfizer, started to appear in Ballarat pharmacies this week.

UFS chief executive officer Lynne McLennan has previously told The Courier bringing COVID vaccinations into pharmacies, starting with AstraZeneca, had been a game-changer both in people accessing the vaccine and seeking extra advice.

UFS also runs the Commonwealth-funded vaccine hub on Dana Street.

Grampians Public Health Unit medical director Rosemary Aldrich has confirmed Moderna and Pfizer vaccines would be available to people aged 60-plus via general practitioners and pharmacies from Monday.

Over-60s can still access AstraZeneca via the Ballarat Health Services vaccination hub based at The Mercure.

The interval wait between Pfizer doses will shorten to three weeks in state hubs, including The Mercure, from Monday with the state booking system to be updated on Sunday night.

Associate Professor Aldrich said while vaccines were not complete protection, they would lessen COVID severity and prevent transmission.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the decision to mandate vaccinations for essential workers, based on health advice, would encompass one to 1.25 million Victorians, many of whom have already had their first dose.

"This is critically important to keep the case numbers down so that we can open up on October 26, get our freedom back, get the economy going again and deliver the national plan," he said.

Meanwhile, there have been three unexpected strong COVID detections in wastewater from Sebastopol, Winter Valley and Alfredton that indicate likely new COVID cases. Anyone with symptoms, or who has had symptoms, is urged to urgently get a COVID test.

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