Page 1576 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 2 June 2021
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two systems. From Thursday, 3 June we are also expanding the hours of operation for the phone booking line to be available from 7 am to 7 pm, seven days a week.
Canberrans can also contact participating general practices and GP-led respiratory clinics to book their appointment. Participating GP clinics have commenced administering AstraZeneca to eligible persons aged 50 years and over, including the cohort brought forward under phase 2a. More than 70 ACT general practices and respiratory assessment clinics are supporting the rollout.
The ACT government’s Garran COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic continues to deliver Pfizer vaccinations for those eligible. Our new vaccination clinic at Calvary hospital is delivering the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Over the last few weeks, we have worked with the commonwealth to support and expedite the vaccination of people living in disability residential care, as well as their carers and other vulnerable people with a disability. We have established an additional access and sensory clinic, co-located with the Garran mass vaccination clinic. The access and sensory clinic provides those living with disability a further option for accessing their immunisation. The Garran COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic also continues to be available for all those currently eligible. Vaccination staff will continue to meet individual needs that are communicated at the time of the appointment booking.
The current COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria, which includes cases identified in staff and residents at residential aged-care facilities in Melbourne, is of great concern. This situation underlines the importance of maximising COVID-19 vaccination coverage in staff and residents in high-risk settings, like residential aged care. Getting vaccinated provides protection to recipients of the vaccine, helps to reduce the risk of COVID-19 to vulnerable residents and the impact of a COVID-19 outbreak in a residential aged-care facility.
Although COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended, and we expect residential aged-care and disability residential facilities to support staff to access the vaccine. The ACT government also remains ready to supplement the general practice and commonwealth-managed rollout, if required. Indeed, the latest outbreak in Victoria is an important reminder for everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19 if you are in phase 1a or 1b or aged 50 years and over. Getting vaccinated is an important defence against the serious effects of COVID-19 and can help protect you, your family and the community. I would like to thank all staff assisting with the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccinations in the territory.
Madam Speaker, the events of the last week provide a timely reminder that we cannot become complacent. We are seeing how quickly the situation can change with the current outbreak in Victoria. If we look beyond Australia’s shores, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have serious impacts for many countries, regions and communities abroad. We are very fortunate in the ACT to be in the position we are in, which is testament to our response and the community’s united efforts to stop the spread.
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