Since delivering the first COVID-19 vaccination on 22 February, Monash Health’s South East Public Health Unit has gone on to deliver over 1.4 million doses to the community, of which nearly 1 million have been administered in Monash Health clinics. Thank you to everyone who has made this amazing effort possible.
As a result of the outstanding work by the vaccination workforce, the collaboration across the South East, and the strong response from the community to get vaccinated – the vaccination rate across the South East is 93% double-dose vaccinated for those 12 years of age and older, and 56% first dose vaccinated for children aged 5 to 11 years.
Having supported over 90% of those eligible in the community to be vaccinated and protected against COVID-19, we continue to see a natural decrease in the demand for the vaccine both in the South East and across Victoria.
This decrease in demand means that currently only 10% of our vaccination capacity across our vaccination clinics is being utilised.
To adjust to the new demand and continue returning to business-as-usual across health services, there will be changes to our vaccination program that will see primary care, being GPs and pharmacies, become the primary providers of COVID-19 vaccinations.
This transition will mean a scale down of vaccination clinics, eventually including closures, over coming months. The dates of closures are not set in stone and depend on many factors, namely:
- demand for vaccination in the community, which we will carefully monitor;
- supply of primary care able to provide vaccinations; and
- ensuring access to vaccinations, particularly for priority and vulnerable communities.
Our significant efforts in mobile vaccination clinics and in-reach programs across the South East will continue as required to maintain sufficient access to vaccination, particularly for priority and vulnerable communities. Again, this will depend on demand and need.
Monash Health will also continue to provide our employees with priority and easy access to vaccination. Planning is currently underway to ensure future availability.
Again, thank you to everyone who has or continues to contribute to the vaccination program across Monash Health clinics.
The efforts over the past year through our clinics and those operated by our SEPHU partners has meant everyone in the South East has had an opportunity to be vaccinated and protected against COVID-19.
Approved by Martin Keogh