The Victorian Government is helping hundreds of general practices and community pharmacies across the state join the push to provide third dose and children vaccines for their local communities.

Grants of up to $10,000 are available under the $5 million COVID-19 Vaccination Primary Care Grants Program to help primary care providers increase the number of people they can vaccinate – whether they be adults in need of a third dose or children five to 11 getting their first dose.

With more than one million Victorians now eligible for a third dose and child vaccinations starting from Monday, the grant expression of interest process has been extended to 5pm 10 January – ensuring GPs and pharmacies can continue vaccinating as many people as possible over January and February.

More than 210 general practitioners and pharmacists have already shared in $2.8 million of grants as part of the program – with 48 provided to regional Victoria.

The grants help providers maximise their vaccination service through extended hours, expanded capacity, support for people with specific needs and hiring extra staff such as immunisers and interpreters – delivering more vaccination bookings for high-priority groups.

Open to GPs and pharmacies authorised to administer mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, the grants help primary care providers deliver vaccinations across 23 Local Government Areas where there is lower primary care coverage.

The local government areas include Ararat, Ballarat, Banyule, Casey, Darebin, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Horsham, Hume, Indigo, Knox, Mansfield, Melton, Mount Alexander Shire, Moyne, Nillumbik, Southern Grampians, Warrnambool, Whittlesea, Wodonga, Wyndham and Yarra.

While GPs and pharmacists are funded by the Commonwealth Government, the Victorian program ensures local primary care providers are able to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible in high priority local government areas.

More information on how and when to book your first, second or third dose – for you or your children – can be found at www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccine. Bookings can also be made via the Coronavirus Hotline on  1800 675 398 or via your local pharmacy or GP.

For further information, and to apply for the COVID-19 Vaccination Primary Care Grants Program visit: coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccination-enhancement-grants.