General News
19 March, 2021
Merindah Lodge residents receive COVID-19 vaccination
MOST at risk frontline workers at the Camperdown Hospital rolled up their sleeves last Friday afternoon as South West Healthcare began its COVID vaccination program.
MOST at risk frontline workers at the Camperdown Hospital rolled up their sleeves last Friday afternoon as South West Healthcare began its COVID vaccination program.
Forty-eight most-at-risk frontline workers at SWH’s Camperdown Hospital and Merindah Lodge residential aged care facility received the vaccine, as well as all 22 residents at Merindah Lodge.
Frontline staff and aged care sector residents are the government’s first priority for the national COVID vaccination rollout.
The timing of when the community vaccinations will begin is subject to the supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the Barwon Health-coordinated regional vaccination hub.
At this stage it is anticipated all remaining SWH staff and the local community will be offered the AstraZeneca vaccine.
SWH chief executive officer Craig Fraser said it was fantastic to see the vaccinations commencing for the priority groups and it would not be long until the community vaccination program begins.
“This once-in-a-lifetime vaccination campaign will commence in earnest and we hope to see the entire eligible south west community vaccinated in upcoming weeks and months,” he said.
“The south west has an amazing vaccination rate for the flu and I’d love the community to treat the COVID vaccination campaign as an extension to the flu campaign.
“The sooner people are COVID-vaccinated, the safer we all will be.”
Both the Pfizer vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccine have received approval for use in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Trained immunisation staff will administer both.
More information on the vaccines can be found at www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccine.
