Tara Murray
Western Health will be among the first health services to roll out the federal government’s coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination program.
It was announced last week that nine suburban and regional health services across Victoria would roll out the program for high-risk, priority people as soon as the vaccine is available.
Vaccinations are expected to start in mid-to-late February.
Western Health chief executive Russell Harrison said the ground floor of the multi-deck carpark at Sunshine Hospital would house the vaccine hub.
“In preparation for this, an expert team of Western Health staff have spent a number of weeks overseeing planning, medical guidance, staff recruitment, safety, logistics and infrastructure, under the direction of executive director nursing and midwifery, Shane Crowe,” he said.
Western Health will also be managing a range of other vaccination clinic locations across the west, including at Werribee Mercy and Djerriwarrh Health.
The hospital is also working with a number of private hospital providers.
Western Health has already recruited a large number of nurses to administer the vaccine, as well as other staff who will fill support roles.
Eligible residents will receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive Commonwealth regulatory approval in Australia.
They will receive two doses which are provided at least three weeks apart.
People eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine as part of phase one of the roll-out, include border workers, all staff working in the hotel quarantine program, frontline at-risk health workers, emergency department and ICU staff, staff at respiratory clinics and COVID-19 testing facilities, and aged care and disability care staff and residents.
