By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A pharmacy and a Vietnamese community group are teaming for a series of weekend Covid vaccine hubs in Springvale South.
O’Brien’s Pharmacy and South Eastern Melbourne Vietnamese Associations Council (SEMVAC Helps) are providing the free AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer jabs to all-comers on 16-17 October and 23-24 October.
SEMVAC grants officer Trung Doan said members were ringing up to 1000 clients to encourage vaccination.
They encountered “very few” vaccine hesitant in the Vietnamese community, perhaps 2-3 per cent, Mr Doan said.
“The strongest factor is embarrassment, because I knew the information circulating on the Web is misinformation.
“I’d be embarrassed if our community fell victim to that, and I’m proud that our community hasn’t.”
Mr Doan said SEMVAC volunteers were talking some of the hesitant around. Such as an elderly carer who said they couldn’t risk getting sick with vaccine side-effects.
The retort was that the carer risked getting more ill if they contracted Covid while unvaccinated. That risk was real any time they went out shopping.
The postcode areas covering Springvale and Springvale South have the widest Covid vaccine coverage in Greater Dandenong.
About 85-90 per cent of Springvale-postcode residents have single-dose vaccination and 40-45 per cent are fully vaxxed. Springvale South’s postcode has 85-90 per cent and 50-55 per cent coverage.
They were well ahead of overall vaccination rates in Greater Dandenong of 78.7 per cent and 40.7 per cent.
SEMVAC has received a $50,000 grant towards efforts to boost Covid vaccination, including developing an Apple and Android community app as well as a school-student competition to spread the message.
The hubs are at Semvac Helps Centre at Burden Park, 888 Heatherton Road Springvale South on 16-17 October and 23-24 October, 10am-5pm.
Pfizer vaccines are limited to Sundays 12pm-5pm.
Walk-ups are accepted but bookings are recommended on 0432 414 296.
