Tara Murray
Brimbank residents have turned out in force to COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites as Victorians experience their fourth lockdown.
With the number of active cases growing and a list of more than 270 exposure sites, Victorians have been encouraged to get tested or if eligible, get the vaccine.
As of Sunday, there were no active COVID-19 cases in Brimbank, but there was one in the Melton part of the 3037 postcode, which includes Calder Park, Delahey, Hillside, Sydenham and Taylors Hill.
There was one tier two exposure site in Brimbank added on Sunday night.
Anyone who was at the German Shepherd Dog Club of Victoria western branch at Green Gully Reserve in Keilor Downs on May 23 between 9.15am and 11.20am must get tested and isolate until they get a negative result.
There are a number of exposure sites in neighbouring municipalities including Maribyrnong, Wyndham and Hume.
Western Health, which has both testing and vaccination sites at the Sunshine Hospital and the Showgrounds, has reported high numbers for both services.
Both sites recorded multiple days of more than 2000 people receiving the vaccine, with walk-in appointments exhausted at times.
Last Thursday, the state government announced that people aged 40-49 would be eligible for vaccinations at state-run clinics
Acting Premier James Merlino urged everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated to make an appointment as soon as possible.
“The only way through this pandemic is for people to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible,” he said.
The state has also seen record numbers of people turning out to get tested, with waiting times stretching to more than two hours at times last week.
IPC Health extended its testing times at both Sunshine West and Deer park testing sites.
Meanwhile, the local businesses have had to shut their doors for a fourth time, with the circuit breaker lockdown to be in place until at least Thursday.
Schools have also closed as students went back to remote learning.
A number of Brimbank council services have either closed or moved online.
The council’s customer service centres, leisure centres and neighbourhood houses are closed along with libraries. A ‘Click and Collect’ and ‘Click and Collect Printing’ service will be available at libraries.
For more information about vaccination centres, visit: coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccination-centres.
