Aged care workers and residents in Dandenong, Dandenong North, Cranbourne, Cranbourne East and Junction Village will be among the first to receive Covid-19 vaccines.
More than 240 aged and disability care homes in 190 Australian towns and suburbs will be the first to get the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine from Monday 22 February.
Frontline healthcare workers and quarantine and border workers will also be among the first vaccinated at Pfizer hubs as part of phase 1a of the rollout, Federal Health and Aged Care Minister Greg Hunt said.
The hubs including one at Monash Medical Centre, Clayton will be run by the states.
A Commonwealth-led “vaccination taskforce” would deliver the vaccinations to aged care and disability care homes.
The Federal Government allocated 59,000 doses to Victoria over the first four weeks – including 12,000 in the initial week.
Mr Hunt said a staged approach to the rollout ensured those who needed protection most were first.
“The vaccination program will save and protect lives. Both of our vaccines will prevent serious illness. That is our primary goal.”
The AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, recently approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, will be rolled out from early March, Mr Hunt said.
The non-compulsory vaccines – which are delivered in two doses three weeks apart – will be offered free of charge.
The vaccine must be stored and transported at -70°C.
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said the hubs, such as at Monash Health, will deliver vaccines to most at-risk workers such as frontline health staff, hotel quarantine and health hotel staff and public sector residential aged care staff and residents.
“Our priority is to support the Commonwealth to make sure that the vaccine is administered to workers at the highest risk of contracting COVID-19 as quickly and safely possible.
“Whether they work in hotel quarantine, at the airport, or a specialist COVID ward – we need to keep Victorians most at risk of infection safe, while they continue to keep Victorians safe.”
Details: health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines
