With more eligible Western Australians set to receive the COVID-19 vaccination in the coming months, general practices are calling for patience as the rollout ramps up over the coming weeks.
From Monday 22 March, the Australian Government’s staged, gradual roll-out of the vaccine continues with Phase 1b.
This will mean people aged 70 and older, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 55 and over, adults with a medical condition, healthcare workers and critical high-risk workers will be eligible to book for their COVID-19 vaccination.
Western Australians are encouraged to take advantage of this free vaccination program to give us the protection to go about our daily lives.
WA Primary Health Alliance General Manager, Bernadette Kenny, said it’s been wonderful to see such strong community support for the COVID-19 vaccine.
“However, I urge people across Western Australia to be patient as we start to see vaccination clinics open in general practice and across the community,” she said.
From next week general practices that have opted in to deliver COVID-19 vaccines, Aboriginal Community Health Centres and GP respiratory clinics will begin receiving stocks.
The Department of Health Eligibility Checker can be used to find the closest vaccination centre to you, as well as to find out when you or a loved one will be eligible for the vaccine.
Alternatively, you can call the COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 1800 020 080.
“It’s important to remember that Western Australia is overwhelmingly safe with no community transmission of COVID-19,” Ms Kenny said.
“We encourage our communities to continue to practise good hygiene, physical distancing and to get tested if they begin to show any symptoms.”
Two extensively tested, safe, effective COVID-19 vaccinations – Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca – have been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for use in Australia.