WANGARATTA'S state run vaccination clinic on Tone Road will operate over new hours from this Sunday to better cater for the needs of working adults and school children.
From this Sunday the Northeast Health Wangaratta (NHW) Vaccination Clinic will operate Sundays and later on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
It's estimated less than 50 per cent of Wangaratta's eligible adult population has had a third dose, while less than half of children aged 5–11 have had their first dose.
"We were averaging around 350 vaccinations per day but that number has dropped this week as school has returned," NHW's acting chief executive officer Robyn Gillis said.
"Third doses for adults and a first course of vaccinations for children are key to reducing the spread of COVID–19, keeping children at school and adults at work.
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"Importantly it also reduces the chance of hospitalisation or death."
Capacity at the vaccination clinic has been increased so there is rarely a wait for walk–ins.
New hours are:
• Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays – 8.30am–4pm;
• Tuesdays and Thursdays – 10.30am–6pm; and
• Friday and Saturday – CLOSED (Friday, February 4 is the last Friday the clinic will be open).
Anyone over five years old can book or walk–in to receive a vaccination.
If attending as a walk–in please come at least half an hour before closing time.
To make an appointment, you can book online at: https://portal.cvms.vic.gov.au/ or call the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 between 8am and 8pm, 7 days a week.
Hours for the screening clinic (COVID–19 testing) remain 7am – 12 noon, 7 days a week.
Meanwhile, NHW remains in Code Brown, due to the continuing high numbers of staff absences.
Between 60–80 staff have been absent from work each day for the past month, due to COVID–19 isolation requirements.
Only emergency surgery and category 1 elective surgeries are continuing, while a number of services have been reduced, including dental and allied health.
As of yesterday NHW was caring for four COVID–19 positive cases in Ward–19, the dedicated isolation ward.
There were 94 active COVID–19 cases in Wangaratta yesterday and 24 of these were being cared for in their homes through the COVID–positive pathways program.
