All aged care and disability workers can walk up to any state vaccination centre in Victoria and get vaccinated as part of a blitz to ensure these critical care staff are protected against coronavirus.

From today until Sunday 29 August, all residential aged-care workers and residential disability care workers will be given priority access at any state-run vaccination centre to receive the vaccine of their choice, regardless of age. They will also continue to be given priority access to booked vaccination appointments.

The one-week window of opportunity comes after the Victorian Government set the target for one million Victorians to receive a vaccination in five weeks. It follows an earlier blitz in June for aged and disability care workers.

While vaccinating private residential aged care was the responsibility of the Commonwealth, the Victorian Government is stepping in to ensure staff can easily get vaccinated before September 17.

All private and residential aged care workers in Australia are required to receive their first vaccination dose by September 17 as a condition of employment, as mandated by National Cabinet.

The majority of Victoria’s residential public sector aged care staff in Victoria have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Staff will need to have their residential aged care or disability staff ID card or proof of employment. The Vaccine is free to everyone and a Medicare card is not required to book an appointment or receive a vaccine.

Walk-ups will not be available at drive-through sections of vaccination centres. As well as state vaccination clinics, staff can get vaccinated at Commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination clinics and some GP clinics. The Commonwealth is responsible for vaccination of private aged-care staff.

Increasing our vaccination coverage in Victoria is particularly important given the current coronavirus outbreaks and the potential for further interstate incursions.

All Victorians are encouraged where possible to book their vaccination appointment by visiting portal.cvms.vic.gov.au or by phoning the Coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398.

For more information on Victoria’s vaccination centres, including information sites that offer walk-up appointments, visit  coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccination-centres.

For more information on the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 vaccination program, visit health.gov.au