Premier Daniel Andrews has announced Victorians aged 18 to 39 will be able to access the AstraZeneca vaccine from selected mass vaccination hubs from Monday, bolstering the existing access through GP clinics.
Key points:
- Victorians aged 18 and older have already been able to get the AstraZeneca vaccine through GP clinics
- Mr Andrews said he did not believe people were "hesitant to get the jab" and he expected many young people would take the opportunity
- There are now 150 exposure sites linked to the state's Delta outbreak, and six school communities are in quarantine
Mr Andrews said the option would be offered at nine sites and bookings would be essential.
"They'll be able to go online, book an appointment … they'll then have a conversation upon arrival with a doctor," he said.
"The doctor will take them through the risks, take them through all the different issues that they need to consider.
"If they then make an informed decision and provide consent, they will receive the AstraZeneca first dose and then some 12 weeks later they'll receive the second dose."
The expanded AstraZeneca eligibility will be offered at the following nine centres:
- Royal Exhibition Building
- Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
- Melbourne Showgrounds
- Sandown Racecourse
- Bayside Shopping Centre, Frankston
- Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre, South Morang
- Former Ford Factory, Geelong
- Kilmore District Health (outpatients building)
- Mansfield District Hospital (Anderson Hall)
Those aged 18 to 39 will continue to be able to access the AstraZeneca vaccine from participating GP clinics as well.
ABC News
)"There is a lot written and a lot said about people being hesitant to get the jab," Mr Andrews said.
"That's not the experience that I'm seeing, it is not what I'm picking up on.
"I think there are many millions of Victorians ... who want to get vaccinated, they want to get vaccinated quickly because they know it's good for them, for their family and for every family, and it is critical to us being open and staying open."
ABC News: Peter Healy
)From Monday, children aged 12 to 15 with medical conditions that put them at increased risk of severe COVID-19 would become eligible to get the Pfizer vaccine at state-run clinics, the government said.
Australia's first drive-through vaccination hub will also open its doors on Monday at a former Bunnings Warehouse site in Melton.
If I were 25, I would get AstraZeneca, Sutton says
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he continued to hear stories from people who had received the vaccine and felt relieved and protected.
"I'm in that category, having received two doses of AstraZeneca," he said.
"It's a very effective vaccine.
"More than 92 per cent protection from hospitalisation, 60-plus per cent protection from symptomatic illness, and therefore, risk to transmission of others."
He said it was important people provided informed consent and understood the "extremely rare" risk of a clotting syndrome.
But he stressed "the best vaccine to get is the one that's available to you today".
"I'd say to any person between 18 and 39 considering getting vaccinated with AstraZeneca, speak to your GP, understand those really, really remote risks and make that informed decision," he said.
Victoria has recorded 11 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, all of whom were in the community while infectious.
All of the cases are linked to previously reported cases.
The number of exposure sites in Victoria has risen to 150, with dozens of supermarkets and shops across Melbourne's west added last night.
The new cases were detected from 38,179 test results processed on Saturday.
Caroline Springs shopping centre an exposure site of concern
Health authorities are still investigating how the first detected cases in the City of Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay clusters were infected.
Professor Sutton said authorities were "concerned" by a series of infections they had recently seen linked to the CS Square shopping centre in Caroline Springs.
ABC News: Peter Healy
)Professor Sutton said the entire centre was listed as an exposure site from late July to August after people were becoming infected without visiting a specific exposure site.
He said while more sites would be added.
“If it is your usual shopping site, if you’re unsure, if you go to CS Square … then please get tested," he said.
Six school communities in quarantine
Mount Alexander College in Flemington is one of the latest school communities affected by the state's Delta outbreak, after a positive case attended the school on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In a message to the college community, principal Dani Angelico said students and their households were required to get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days.
ABC News: Dylan Anderson
)Ilim College has also instructed staff and students at one of its campuses to immediately get tested and quarantine for 14 days in response to a positive case.
In a Facebook post, the college said a student attended the Kiewa Secondary Boys Campus, which is located at Dallas in Melbourne's north-west, on Tuesday and Wednesday while potentially infectious.
The college said the campus had been closed for a deep clean and health authorities were reaching out to close contacts.
"In the meantime, all staff and students at the Kiewa Secondary Campus must immediately get tested and self-quarantine for a period of 14 days (even if you initially return a negative test result)," the college said.
Infectious cases have been previously reported in school communities at Al-Taqwa College, Heathdale Christian College, the Islamic College of Melbourne and Warringa Park School.
The public housing tower at 130 Racecourse Road was listed as an exposure site on Saturday after a family household of eight residents tested positive and were moved to hotel quarantine.
ABC News: Sean Warren
)Mr Andrews said all of the families on the same floor of the tower had been tested and returned initial negative results.
"[That] doesn't mean we're out of the woods there, it doesn't mean that we can change the settings, but it's better to have negative results than positive," Mr Andrews said.
He thanked all the residents of the tower who were continuing to test and lock down as part of the public health response.
Melbourne council to offer prizes for vaccinations
There are more than 3,500 primary close contacts associated with the outbreak, but Mr Andrews said on Saturday it was "too early" to confirm whether the week-long lockdown, which started on Thursday, would be extended.
Beyond this outbreak, Mr Andrews said it was only when vaccination targets of 70 and 80 per cent set by National Cabinet were reached that "we'll have a very different way of life".
ABC News: Danielle Bonica
)City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp today announced her council would launch a vaccination incentive scheme offering daily prizes from a pool of vouchers worth around $100,000.
"I want Melbourne to be the most vaccinated city in Australia because it is the only pathway to confidence," she said.
The giveaway campaign will start from August 16, and includes shopping vouchers and experience packages for businesses in Melbourne's CBD.
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Victoria records 11 new local COVID-19 cases, AstraZeneca for young people at state hubs from Monday - ABC News
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