Barwon Health starts coronavirus vaccine rollout in Geelong

The number of Geelong residents who have received the COVID-19 vaccine is beginning to swell after Barwon Health started the rollout on Monday. Here are the latest numbers.

MORE than 400 frontline workers in Geelong have received the COVID-19 vaccine since its rollout on Monday.

Barwon Health said 442 frontline health care workers, 85 residents in public residential aged care and three port workers were vaccinated as of Wednesday afternoon, with numbers remaining constant each day.

Barwon Health has been provided with 1000 doses, and planned to dispense the full tray by the end of the week with all doses allocated to individuals that fit the high priority group of the Phase 1A cohort.

Dr Michael Sheridan receiving his COVID-19 jab. Picture: Supplied

The local health provider said the Geelong vaccine hub is leading in vaccination uptake in comparison to the eight other hubs across Victoria

Barwon Health emergency department director Dr Michael Sheridan said the vaccination process had gone “relatively seamlessly” since the start of the week.

“We only had a week’s notice, it has taken a lot of organisation for a lot of different people,” Dr Sheridan said.

“The vast majority of staff have been happy to get the vaccination, and those who have had it have had no reactions or no problems with it.”

Epworth Geelong emergency department head Dr Matt Ryan said the rollout was “pretty exciting” for local health care workers.

“As healthcare workers we’ve had a year maybe slightly different to the rest of the community,” Dr Ryan said.

“We’ve had to come to work and potentially be exposed everyday so I think getting the vaccine gives us a level of confidence that we will be protected and our families will be protected when we go back home, and by inference we’ll protect the rest of the community as well.”

St John of God Hospital Geelong director of emergency medicine Dr Georgina Hayden said the morale in the hospital had “really lifted” this week following the vaccine rollout.

“We’ve had millions of vaccines given overseas, it has been shown to be very safe and effective, with minimal side effects – it’s a really good thing for our region.

“We’d encourage everyone in the community when its their opportunity to have the vaccine to get on board.”

Originally published as Barwon Health starts coronavirus vaccine rollout in Geelong