One clinic in Ararat along with four in Horsham will be administering COVID-19 vaccines as part of the Australian Government's phase 1b rollout from next week.
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The federal Department of Health released a list of more than 1000 general practices to join the vaccination program, even as doctors raise concerns about not getting enough doses.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said GPs would come online from March 22 and increase to more than 4000 by the end of April, as part of the next phase of the vaccine rollout to priority groups in the broader population.
In Ararat, one clinics was confirmed in the initial in the initial 1000 sites, with three more in Horsham.
Wimmera clinics administering vaccines from Week 1 of phase 1b include:
- Ararat Medical Centre
- Tristar Medical Group - Horsham
- Horsham Respiratory Clinic
- Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative
Phase 1b of the rollout focuses on people aged over 70, healthcare workers, Indigenous adults, adults with specified medical conditions and a range of critical workers, including defence, police, fire and emergency workers and meat processors.
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Mr Hunt said people could find a vaccination provider through the new national vaccination information and location service at the Department of Health website.
This will enable people to locate their nearest option and link through to the practice's online booking system or phone number to make the appointment.
The complete list of GP clinics can be found here.
If you want to find out when you will be eligible for the vaccination, take the eligibility test here.
"No-one will miss out, whether they live in a city or country town or a very remote area," Mr Hunt said.
"This staged scale up will align with the supply of the locally produced AstraZeneca vaccine, and as more vaccine becomes available more services will come online."
The Government initially suggested four million vaccinations would be achieved by the end of March.
However, the figure stood at 200,000 on Tuesday, with six million Australians qualifying for a vaccine as part of the phase 1b rollout.
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Taken to task by Labor leader Anthony Albanese for over-promising and under-delivering, Mr Morrison told parliament of the 3.8 million vaccine doses contracted from overseas, only 700,000 were able to be provided "because of the desperately serious situation that we find in Europe".
The prime minister has promised all Australians will get the first dose by the end of October.
Australian-made AstraZeneca vaccines are soon expected to start coming off biotech CSL's Melbourne production line for distribution.
The firm's aim is for one million doses to produced each week, and they're in talks with the Government to up the pace.
Labor and GPs are concerned the national system to be used for booking shots is not yet operational.
"This is utterly remarkable and irresponsible," Labor's health spokesman Mark Butler said.
"They are being inundated by phone calls to their receptionist asking whether their patients can book with them and they're not able to provide any information whatsoever."
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