Page 1234 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 11 May 2021

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In response to this incident the ACT updated its restrictions for travellers from the Perth and Peel regions commencing from 6 pm on Sunday, 2 May. The ACT reintroduced the online declaration for anyone who had been in the Perth or Peel regions in the past 14 days who had not already completed the declaration since they were last in those regions. As a result of the three additional cases, many new casual and close contact locations were identified, and any person affected was required to follow additional conditions, including quarantine, testing and exemption requirements.

ACT Health is currently advising anyone in the ACT who is considering travel to WA to keep monitoring the situation carefully, and to keep up to date with the latest public health advice. Travellers should also be aware that they need to be prepared to comply with any restrictions in place, noting that situations can change very quickly.

Our COVID-19 vaccination program rollout is progressing well in the ACT. We are ensuring that the rollout continues in an efficient and, above all, safe manner. I thank the community for their patience and for booking their vaccination when it is their turn, through either their local GP or a government clinic. I am pleased to say that, as of 10 May, 33,873 doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines have been administered by the ACT government.

The ACT government vaccination clinics are now live on the Australian government’s Vaccine Eligibility Checker and eligible Canberrans in phases 1a, 1b and the 2a cohort brought forward can make a booking online, with the checker linking people directly to the MyDHR Digital Health Record online platform. The ACT government COVID-19 vaccination phone booking line is also available for those who are unable to register for MyDHR or who prefer to speak with someone to make a booking. Canberrans can also contact participating general practices to book their appointment. Participating GP clinics will commence administering AstraZeneca to those now eligible under 2a, persons aged 50 and over, from 17 May onwards. More than 70 ACT general practices and respiratory assessment clinics are supporting the national rollout.

The ACT government’s Garran COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic remains well placed to deliver vaccinations, and became a Pfizer-only site from 3 May. On the same day the new site at Calvary hospital was opened to take bookings for the AstraZeneca vaccine. Subject to a consistent and regular supply, our two ACT government clinics can provide more than 8,000 vaccination doses per week.

We are continuing to plan for the opening of additional clinics and locations if required. We are also focusing on vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups in the ACT as a priority. We are working with the commonwealth to expedite the disability residential care program, and to supplement the general practice rollout if required.

Our local GPs play a vital role in the rollout of the vaccination program in the ACT, and the government will continue to work closely with our local primary health network to ensure that we are effectively administering vaccinations to Canberrans. I would like to thank the many GPs in Canberra for supporting the vaccination rollout


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