Over the course of the pandemic, when we have needed to limit movement and slow the spread of the virus restrictions have been our primary weapon. Now, with supply of the vaccine finally becoming widely available, we are able to protect all workers who aren’t able to do their essential work from home and protect the roadmap to reopening.

As we move through Victoria’s Plan to Deliver the National Roadmap, we will see more pressure on our health system than we ever have. It is still crucial we continue to protect our health system from being overwhelmed. Our nurses, doctors, ambos and all of our health workers are working their guts out to be there for us and they need us all to do our bit.

On the advice of our public health team, all workers – in Melbourne and regional Victoria – on the Authorised Worker list will require their first COVID-19 vaccine dose by Friday, 15 October in order to continue working onsite. They will need to be fully vaccinated by 26 November.

The advice from the Burnet Institute and all our public health officials is that vaccination remains our best protection. As authorised workers are currently moving around Victoria the most, it’s vital they get vaccinated to protect themselves, their families and all of Victoria.

The 15 October deadline will not apply to workers who already have existing requirements under CHO directions – groups like construction, freight, healthcare, aged care and education will still have to comply with previous advice.

To help ensure these workers can receive their vaccine in time, we’re expanding our GP and pharmacy grant program to priority LGAs in regional Victoria, and doubling the number of grants available for the existing LGAs – providing more of our primary care network with $4,000 and $10,000 grants to boost their hours and staff and ultimately, get more vaccines into the arms of Victorians.

We’ll also conduct a walk up Moderna blitz from 4 October to 10 October at the following sites:

• Melton Vaccination Hub (Bunnings)
• Sunshine Vaccination Hub
• Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre
• Royal Exhibition Building
• Sandown Racecourse Vaccination Centre
• Frankston Community Vaccination Hub
• Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre
• Dandenong Palm Plaza
• Former Ford Factor Campbellfield
• La Trobe University site in Bundoora
• St Francis Xavier College Officer Campus

We need to ensure the virus does not travel further into regional Victoria, which is why businesses that are open in regional Victoria – restaurants or beauty, for example – must continue to check the IDs of everyone they serve.

Over the next week there are 13,000 first dose Pfizer appointments available and 8,000 first dose Astra Zeneca appointments available through the state-run system. Victorians can also book a vaccine appointment through their GP or pharmacist where many more appointments are available.

Victorian pharmacists are now also offering the Moderna vaccine, which is safe and effective mRNA vaccine. This vaccine is now also on offer at select state sites for anyone aged 12 to 59. GPs and pharmacies are now providing both Pfizer and Moderna to all ages, including those above aged 59.

To book a vaccination through state-run centres – or to see links for how to book at your local GP or pharmacy – visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccine

Quote attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“All of our health workers are working their guts out to be there for us and they need us all to do our bit and get vaccinated, so we can continue on our pathway to opening.”