By Alesha Capone
Wyndham council is working with health organisations to establish a future “high-volume” site where people can receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
A council spokesperson said Wyndham was working closely with Western Health, the Department of Health, GPs and other partner agencies to establish a large site where the community can be vaccinated.
“This work is progressing, and we hope to have a high-volume vaccination site up and running very soon,” the spokesperson said.
Separately, general practitioners from MyClinic Werribee Village conducted a trial mass vaccination clinic at the Encore Events Centre last Thursday.
Medical staff vaccinated 107 people within two hours.
MyClinic’s Dr Joe Garra said they were hoping to run another vaccination clinic in the future.
He said that compared to the reception areas at many GP clinics, large sites like Encore gave patients more space to complete the required waiting time of 15 minutes after receiving a jab, making mass vaccination clinics a “promising future model”.
Plans are also shaping up for 500-bed quarantine facility to be potentially constructed near Avalon airport.
The Prime Minister last week gave acting premier James Merlino a memorandum of understanding to confirm support for the quarantine centre, which is expected to cost around $200 million.
In a Facebook post, Wyndham councillor Mia Shaw said the benefits of the facility would include job opportunity for locals.
“However, Wyndham needs to work through details with authorities to ensure our residents are protected from any risk of transmission from this facility,” the post read.
Meanwhile, Wyndham council has called on the state and federal governments to give businesses more certainty about future lockdown support.
“Many of our local businesses and families are really hurting,” Cr Shaw said.
“Business owners can’t be left guessing every time about if, when and how much support they will receive.
“Lockdowns was an effective strategy in 2020 but 12 months on we need different strategies to deal with COVID outbreaks.”
Mayor Adele Hegedich said the council was “doing everything we can to support our local economy” including the $5 million business support package released last year and the Small Business Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fund approved at last month’s council meeting.
