CLINICS PIVOT FROM TESTS TO PREVENTION
RESPIRATORY clinics that were set up to help test for COVID-19 are now offering protection against the virus through vaccination.
Geelong Respiratory Clinic in Belmont and Bellarine Respiratory Clinic at the Epichealth site on Guthridge Street, Ocean
Grove, are offering the coronavirus vaccine.
Epichealth acting chief executive Jeremy Forrester said the clinic currently had capacity to administer 1200-1400 doses a week.
Mr Forrester said there had been instances of people cancelling appointments due to vaccine hesitancy, with concerns about rare blood clotting linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, but he urged people to get vaccinated.
“We think it’s a very, very safe vaccine,” he said.
The Ocean Grove clinic is conducting vaccinations on weekday afternoons and Saturday mornings.
Mr Forrester said hours could be extended as demand grew.
Geelong Respiratory Clinic is at Kardinia Health on Colac Road, Belmont.
Kardinia Health chief executive Michelle Heagney said it currently had capacity to administer 400 vaccine doses a week.
“While we don’t have COVID in the community at the moment, we’re still in a pandemic and people need to get vaccinated,” she said. The clinic is administering vaccines on Monday to Thursday afternoons.
Ms Heagney said the clinic had capacity to add more staff and hours as the vaccine rollout continued.
The rollout expanded last week to include anyone over the age of 50.