Victoria’s COVID-19 vaccination sites revealed as world awaits vaccine
As the world anxiously awaits a COVID-19 vaccine, Victoria’s plan to vaccinate its residents at various sites across the state has been revealed.
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Five COVID-19 vaccination sites have been named across Melbourne as the countdown continues for a vaccine.
The Age identified the various sites where residents will be mass vaccinated once a coronavirus vaccine becomes available, according to City of Melbourne medical officer Dr Ines Rio.
They included Melbourne Town Hall, Carlton Baths, Community Hub at the Dock, Kensington Town Hall and North Melbourne Town Hall.
“They work well from a flow point of view, they are big and we have the immunisation staff,” Dr Rio told the publication.
A City of Melbourne spokeswoman declined to comment further when asked by news.com.au.
It comes as Health Minister Greg Hunt said there was hope a vaccine being developed in the UK would be available in the first half of next year.
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Speaking on Sky News on Sunday, Mr Hunt said “safety” remained the number one concern for any vaccine that was used.
“There is genuine cause for hope and optimism for Australians on the path to a vaccine,” he said.
“We have been very cautious and that’s why we were able to look very carefully before choosing our vaccine candidate.
“We’ll continue to review the evidence. But each day I’m quietly becoming more hopeful and more optimistic about the prospect for vaccines for Australians in the first half of 2021, with the earliest available in the first quarter of 2021.”
Oxford University has just restarted its key clinical trial for a coronavirus vaccine after it was halted when a volunteer suffered a suspected serious adverse reaction.
Australia will be one of the first countries to get the vaccine when and if it is safe to use after Prime Minister Scott Morrison secured a deal for 25 million doses.
Recently, the vaccine progressed to Phase 3 testing, which meant it was able to be trialled on large numbers of patients across different geographies.
By last week, around 30,000 people in the UK, the US, Brazil and South Africa had taken part, in a tie-up with pharma giant AstraZeneca.
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Last week Lord Mayor Sally Capp said Melbourne’s councillors would consider a COVID-19 Reactivation and Recovery Plan on Tuesday, which outlines ways to support jobs and businesses and co-ordinate the staged return of people to Melbourne’s city centre by the Christmas period.
“We want to deliver live performances, art installations and other pop-up activities to bring life back to the city over spring and the vital Christmas period,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We’re proud of our reputation as Australia’s cultural capital and we’re looking at safe and creative ways to draw people back into the city.
“Melbourne Fashion Week and our Christmas Festival will launch in November, providing support to our businesses at the most crucial trading time of the year.”
Originally published as Victoria’s COVID-19 vaccination sites revealed as world awaits vaccine