Hotline chaos for Year 12 jab bookings

Year 12 student are being reassured they will have the chance to get vaccinated before exams, after a hotline to book appointments melted down.

Year 12 students anxious to get vaccinated before exams start on October 5 have jammed up the priority booking hotline.

Every year 12 student is being reassured they will have the chance to get vaccinated before exams, after a dedicated phone line to book appointments melted down.

More than 30,000 VCE ­students rushed to make ­vaccination appointments on Monday morning.

By the day’s end, more than 7000 students had made appointments.

Frustrated parents and students dialled up to 100 times with no luck, or sat on hold for up to three hours, as the priority hotline collapsed under the demand.

By late morning more calls were getting answered ­although at 2pm callers were still being told to book online instead.

About 60,000 year 12 students and education staff are aiming to get two vaccination doses by time the General Achievement Test is held on campuses on October 5.

An increasing number of schools are also organising vaccination of senior students and staff directly.

Last week, an estimated 85 per cent of year 12 students from Assumption College Kilmore were vaccinated on campus. Assumption College principal Kate Fogarty said there was a “palpably joyful feel” as students received their vaccinations.

Meredith Peace, Australian Education Union Victorian branch president said the day’s event showed that “students and staff were more than ready to roll up their sleeve and get a Covid-19 jab”.

Associate Professor Caroline Dowling from the #VCEWheresThePlanDan parents’ group praised the 2021 year 12 cohort.

“Even though they have had enormous challenges, and on many days now feel completely flat, they are out there in huge numbers getting vaccinated so they can sit their exams,” she said.

Year 11s who are doing VCE subjects have been asked to make their bookings from Wednesday on 1800 434 144.

Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said every year 12 student would get a dose and there was “no frantic rush”.