Getting vaccinated against coronavirus is one of just five reasons Victorians are allowed to leave their houses under the restrictions of the seven-day lockdown.
This week, the Victorian government's COVID-19 vaccination hotline crashed after receiving 77,000 calls in a 15-minute window.
An IT outage on Saturday morning also affected two vaccination centres in inner Melbourne.
Despite teething problems, authorities have vowed to push on with the rollout.
"We commit to vaccinating every single Victorian who wants to be vaccinated in the coming weeks," professor Ben Cowie, who is leading Victoria's vaccine rollout, said on Friday.
Here's how to work out what vaccine you're eligible to receive, how to book an appointment, and where to go for a walk-in vaccination.
What vaccine am I eligible for?
If you are between the ages of 40 and 49 you are eligible to receive the Pfizer shot at state-run vaccination sites, but you must book in advance.
Please note that Pfizer is not available at all vaccination sites. Details on how to book your vaccination appointment are below.
Those above the age of 50 can get an AstraZeneca jab, either by appointment or walk-in.
Walk-in vaccination site locations are listed below.
Even if you are not eligible for Medicare, you can still receive the COVID vaccine.
If you have already received your first shot — whether Pfizer or AstraZeneca — you must receive the same vaccine type for your second shot.
For the Pfizer vaccine, you need to wait at least three weeks between doses, while for AstraZeneca it is recommended you wait 12 weeks between doses.
Reuters: Sandra Sanders
)How can I book a vaccine appointment?
You can call the Victorian government's COVID vaccination hotline on 1800 571 121.
The government is currently reporting a "very high volume of calls", however.
Some regional health services will have a local phone number listed on their websites which you can call to book an appointment.
You can also book an appointment with a local GP through the federal government's coronavirus vaccine eligiblity checker.
If you have a disability or pre-existing medical condition, it is advised you discuss vaccination with your GP and receive the vaccine from them.
If you live in aged care, disability care, or other sensitive accommodation settings, you will be contacted to have your COVID-19 vaccine administered.
How can I get a walk-in AstraZeneca vaccine?
The Victorian government has a list of walk-in vaccination sites on its website, as well as wait times.
The availability of walk-in vaccinations is subject to change, depending on daily demand.
COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar advised people planning to go to a walk-in AstraZeneca vaccination site to check wait times first, to avoid missing out.
“We do not want people waiting in a queue all day and then not actually making it by the end of the day," he said in a press conference on Saturday.
“It is important to please check the length of those queues beforehand.
“We will tell people, if the queue is getting to a point where we don't think we can vaccinate beyond that point, to come back another day.
“So again, save yourself the trip if you can, check on the website before you turn out.”
Where are the walk-in sites in Victoria?
The following list was current at 2:00pm AEDT on Saturday, but we recommend that you check the government's website before planning a trip to one.
- Bendigo Community Clinic
- Broadmeadows Town Hall
- Coburg Uniting Church
- Cranbourne Turf Club
- Deer Park – IPC Health Deer Park
- Former Ford factory – Geelong
- Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital
- Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)
- Melbourne Showgrounds
- Mercure Hotel and Convention Centre
- Northern Hospital Epping
- Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre
- Ringwood East Community Clinic (Braeside Avenue)
- Royal Exhibition Building
- Sandown Racecourse
- Shepparton Showgrounds – McIntosh Centre
- Sunshine Hospital
- South West Healthcare Vaccination Centre
- Traralgon Racecourse
- West Melbourne – CoHealth West Melbourne
- Wodonga Vaccination Hub
- Wonthaggi Town Hall
What is the demand for vaccines like?
Mr Weimar said Victoria's vaccine call centre was taking record numbers of calls.
He also said state-run vaccination centres have been delivering over 20,000 vaccinations a day.
"This is the level we can just about sustain, given the amount of vaccine we have available to us in Victoria at this point in time," he said.
"We are expecting to sustain this level of operation for the weeks ahead."
He thanked the Commonwealth for providing support and "as much vaccine as they have available" to Victoria.
"We are keen to maintain this intensity and this level of operation of vaccination," he said.
"We are, of course, keen to get as many people vaccinated — but we can only go as fast as the supply of vaccine allows us to go.
"So please bear with us, and if you are trying to get through to book your spot, we are booking slots every single day, the call centre will continue to be available, and we will get you through in the coming weeks."
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2021-05-29 04:49:04Z
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