Across Ballarat's 17 state and privately run aged care facilities, 90 to 100 per cent of residents have had their third jab, and 70 to 79 per cent who are eligible for a fourth (who had their third dose, or a COVID infection, more than three months ago) have received the second booster.

It puts us ahead of Bendigo's aged care sector were 80 to 89 per cent of residents have had their third vaccine dose, and 60 to 69 per cent have had their fourth, on a par with Shepparton, and slightly below Geelong where 80 to 89 per cent have received the fourth dose.

All but two Ballarat aged care home have third jab rates above 80 per cent, but six have not yet reached that level for those eligible for a fourth vaccination.

At Talbot Place, where an outbreak over the past two weeks has infected at least 23 residents at the 30-bed facility, the fourth dose rate is just 30 to 39 per cent according to the Federal Government's Residential aged care residents COVID-19 vaccination data.

At the Geoffrey Cutter Centre, also the scene of an outbreak, the fourth-dose rate is 40 to 49 per cent.

All private aged care have reported third dose vaccination rates above 80 per cent, with most also having a high rate of fourth vaccinations among those eligible.

A Grampians Health spokesperson said Ballarat Aged Care was working closely with Grampians Public Health Unit's vaccination team to offer COVID-19 vaccines to residents and staff at all aged care facilities, as residents meet their eligibility interval.

Vaccinations are offered on site on an ad-hoc basis, as often as every two weeks per facility, however clinics are postponed at facilities that are in quarantine and vaccines are not mandated for residents.

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"When we look at our vaccination rates among residents, we must also account for any residents who have only recently moved into a Ballarat Aged Care facility, or who might have only recently decided to commence their vaccination regimen; this means we have residents at varying interval rates and therefore might not yet be eligible to receive their next dose of vaccination," the spokesperson said.

"This is further complicated when we consider residents who have tested COVID-positive and must wait the recommended further three months post infection for their next vaccination dose, or four months in the case of those who receive antiviral treatments while they are COVID-positive."

Ballarat's aged care facilities will be among hundreds across the state who from next week will have access to the Virtual ED run out of Melbourne's Northern Hospital to reduce pressure on the ambulance service and hospital emergency departments.

Triple Zero calls for some aged care residents who don't need an emergency ambulance will instead be connected to the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department for clinical assessments, medical advice and specialist referrals to help manage or treat their condition.

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