How to access COVID-19 vaccinations

Quick trip: Wait-times at the Mercure have been 15 minutes, on average, in recent days. Photo: FILE

IF you’re over the age of forty, you may be aware you’re eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, but might not know what to do next.

At Ballarat Health Services’ Vaccination Clinic at Mercure Ballarat, people between the age of 40 and 49 years can receive the Pfizer vaccine, but are not able to line up without a pre-booked appointment. Pfizer vaccinations are currently booked out until this Monday, 14 June.

Those over 50 can receive the AstraZeneca vaccine by booking ahead, or just turning up, with wait-times currently estimated to be 15 minutes.

Each day between 8am and 10pm, vaccine appointments can be made by calling Victoria’s COVID-19 Hotline on 1800 675 398, and choosing the options one, one, and one.

The clinic is open from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 3.30pm, Saturday and Sunday. Attendees must always wear a mask, socially distance and practice good hand hygiene.

Operations director BHS Grampians Public Health Unit Robyn Wilson said over 30,000 vaccines have been given across the region, and an increased team of nursing and administration staff are on site at the Mercure.

“The flow of people going through is great. Even if the wait-times were to extend to an hour, people would still be undercover,” she said.

The clinic will also be open over the upcoming Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

If you have symptoms of the virus, you’re required to isolate, get tested and postpone your appointment. BHS’ vaccination clinic will not take referrals from patients’ GPs asking for the Pfizer vaccine.

Avoid entering the Mercure Ballarat’s main entrance on Main Road. If you are parking a car, disabled spots are available on Burdeu Street, via 525 Main Road, general parks are available at Zagame’s on 639 Main Road, next door to the Mercure, and very limited spaces are on-street.

The public Buninyong line bus from the Ballarat Railway Station stops out the front of the Mercure.

For more up-to-date information, visit bhs.org.au/vaccine and coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccination-centres.