Tara Murray
The vaccine rate in Brimbank is slowly starting to rise as more and more people get vaccinated.
Brimbank has had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state since figures were first released.
As of October 11, 82.2 per cent of people over the age of 15 in Brimbank have received their first dose. That is an increase of 31.3 per cent in just over a month.
The municipality’s second dose rate is 50.2 per cent, up from 43.7 per cent the previous week.
The 3036 postcode has the highest vaccine rate in the municipality, with between 85 and 90 per cent of eligible residents having had one dose, and between 60 and 65 per cent having had their second dose.
The 3023 postcode has the lowest jab rate in the municipality, with between 75 and 80 per cent of eligible residents having had their first dose and between 40 and 45 per cent their second dose.
It comes as Brimbank council has launched its #jabdone campaign to encourage more people to get vaccinated.
The #jabdone campaign is about getting the community back to doing what they love, while also protecting family and friends.
The launch of the campaign comes nearly a month after the neighbouring Hume municipality launched a successful campaign to get vaccination rates up.
Brimbank community wellbeing director Lynley Dumble said this was the council’s latest step in the work it had been undertaking to promote vaccinations.
She highlighted the council had agreed to write to politicians at the last council calling for more vaccines ahead of the launch of the campaign.
“Council has been partnering for months with the Department of Health and IPC Health to ensure that residents have access to vaccination and testing sites.
“An important part of this has been our work with local community leaders and organisations to reduce vaccine hesitancy and encourage more take up.
“The #Jabdone campaign launched as vaccination appointments at GPs and pharmacies began to roll-out and the Moderna vaccine boosted supplies to the municipality.
“This public campaign complements the community focused approach of council and health organisation partners.
“It was ramped up when vaccine supplies through the state and federal governments increased and more local vaccination points came online.”
