State’s ‘big build’ projects prepare for jabs onsite

Staff working on the state government’s “big build” projects will be vaccinated on-site under a push to ramp up Victoria’s rollout.

Vaccines will be delivered at the state government’s multibillion dollar infrastructure projects within weeks to reduce the risk of Covid-19 infections and shutdowns.

The program, which is being finalised, would use a variety of methods to ramp up jabs for construction workers — including on-site nurses, nearby pharmacies, or local GPs.
One option being discussed would result in buildings next to major project sites being used as makeshift health hubs.

Major Transport Infrastructure Authority director-general Corey Hannett said many construction companies working with the government had already sourced health providers, and the rollout of worksite vax hubs would be a broad partnership.

“Whether it’s at a pharmacy or a GP clinic or an on-site bus or hiring a building beside the site where they can just bring people, that’s what we’re looking at right now,” he said.

“The end result is we get as many people who are on-site as possible to get vaccinated and what form or method is what we will work through with providers.”

Transport boss Corey Hannett says the plan will get more construction workers vaccinated. Picture: Alex Coppel

The state’s most senior transport bureaucrat said 10,265 Covid-safety inspections had been carried out on government sites but it was crucial to ramp up jab rates for extra protection.

The importance of the scheme took a personal turn for Mr Hannett last month after his wife Sharon contracted coronavirus.

Ms Hannett, a clinical nurse specialist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s cardiothoracic ward, was part of a cluster sparked when a Shepparton patient was admitted for heart surgery.

After two weeks at The Alfred hospital she was discharged, but now struggles with the couple’s usual walking circuit.

“We used to have no trouble doing 10km a day, Sharon would do it with her eyes closed, now she's struggling to do 4km,” he said.

“The fatigue and how lethargic she is, it’s unbelievable.”

Mr Hannett said the virus “hit her for a clean six” and he and their sons — the youngest of whom has autism — were worried sick.

“People with hazmat suits came and got her, it was like a scene out of ET, it was bizarre,” he said.

“The amount of stress if puts on a family, I’m trying to do my job but you are sitting there thinking ‘I hope to bloody hell my wife is coming back’.”

The couple had each received one dose of AstraZeneca and were due a second dose the day after Ms Hannett tested positive.

“She was pretty unwell when she had one dose, I hate to think what would have happened if she had no vaccine,” he said.

After being personally touched by Covid-19, Mr Hannett said he and Sharon wanted to share the story as the effort to vaccinate workers ramped up.

“It’s not just yourself, it’s who you’re affecting if you don’t get it, you know. It could be your fellow colleague on the worksite but it could be your mum or dad.”