A POP-UP vaccination clinic run by Ballarat Health Services has been held at Mount Rowan Secondary College.<\/p>\n
Set up as an easily accessible option for area families, the clinic was also a chance for the Secondary College and its neighbouring school Yuille Park Community College to support students in starting, or finishing, their vaccination process.<\/p>\n
More than 300 vaccinations were administered on Sunday and BCH nurses saw approximately 100 people from the Yuille Park and Mount Rowan school communities along with 200 walk-ins.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was good to be able to come here. I had booked in a while ago, but I had to wait a while, so it was great to be able to move my appointment here and get it over and done with,\u201d said Mount Rowan Secondary College student Chloe.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a very easy experience, and the nurse was really nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mount Rowan SC principal Seona Murnane said she was proud to host the facility.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was chatting to a mother then who said she wouldn\u2019t have organised vaccinations so soon otherwise, so it\u2019s great to hear that this initiative is working,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s convenient to come here, and we\u2019re glad we can support our school community, the Yuille community, and local Wendouree community.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re doing whatever we can to make sure everyone\u2019s keeping healthy and safe. We\u2019re all in this together, so it\u2019s a team effort.\u201d<\/p>\n
BHS CEO Dale Fraser said the mass vaccination centre at the Mercure, and its location, doesn\u2019t suit every Ballarat family, and general practitioners and pharmacies aren\u2019t so easily accessible in the Wendouree area.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe keep looking at the demographics of where the gaps are, or where the under representation of our supply of vaccines has been. A need has been identified, and this solution has been determined,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
It was \u201cpleasing and warming\u201d to Mr Fraser to see families, students and friendship groups coming through the clinic together on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cChildren can sometimes be concerned, nervous, or scared, but having their family members around them is quite helpful,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s amazing having it at the school. There is a great feel about this place, with the students coming through and the camaraderie.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yuille Park Community College principal Brett Shillito agreed that attending a vaccine appointment would be challenging for many of his school\u2019s families if they were required to travel across the city.<\/p>\n
He enjoyed visiting the site on Sunday, giving a wave to lots of young and familiar faces.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny of these initiatives are fantastic because they\u2019re reducing barriers. It\u2019s really good to have something close by that\u2019s really easy to get to,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said schools are the heart of the suburb\u2019s community.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy bringing our schools together through this important vaccination rollout, we\u2019re making sure we\u2019re connecting with families who really do need the support and the encouragement to get vaccinated,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
A second pop-up at the same site will be held in three weeks\u2019 time to offer second doses. Whether there will be walk-in opportunities without bookings is yet to be confirmed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A POP-UP vaccination clinic run by Ballarat Health Services has been held at Mount Rowan Secondary College. Set up as an easily accessible option for area families, the clinic was also a chance for the Secondary College and its neighbouring school Yuille Park Community College to support students in starting, or finishing, their vaccination process. […]<\/p>\n