EAST Grampians Health Service is looking to carry through its momentum, as Ararat celebrates a high vaccine turnout.
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Federal government Operation COVID Shield data shows Ararat City Council as one of the leading local government areas in the state when it comes to the percentage of people vaccinated.
As of September 5, 69.5 per cent of people in Ararat have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, and 49.6 per cent have received their second.
East Grampians Health Service interim chief executive Peter Armstrong said the goal was to continue the impressive performance and encourage more people to come in for vaccines.
"The community response has been really good," he said.
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"We have our vaccination clinics set up in Pyrenees House and we have a capacity to do about 200 a day. We also work closely with the Ararat Medical Centre, who are vaccinating as well. Between us, we cover a lot of the local community, we are really well placed."
This comes after Premier Daniel Andrews announced the state was abandoning its 'COVID-zero' goal at a press conference earlier in September.
Instead, Mr Andrews said the focus would be on keeping case numbers down as the state aims towards 70 per cent vaccination among adults.
Mr Armstrong said the health service was strengthening their regional COVID response, looking towards when the state vaccine numbers increase and Melbourne opens back up.
"We have worked as a regional cluster, we are part of the public health unit through Ballarat. We have plans in place if we do get positive cases - there are pathways for us to take depending on how sick the people are," he said.
"Most people who have got COVID have been looked after at home, they isolate when they get COVID, stay at home and get well.
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"There are a percentage of people who get sick and need hospitalisation.
"Our region has really good plans in place when we get positive cases.
"And we will just keep in touch with our regional partners and follow the directions.
"Down the track if they find some samples in the wastewater of Ararat, which they did last year, we have the capacity, we have practiced to be ready to respond if needed."
