Vaccine rate on the rise

BENDIGO is on track to reach ninety per cent first dose vaccination for people aged sixteen and over by the end of this month.

Last week chair of Bendigo Health Bob Cameron said the region’s vaccination rates have been “sensational.”

“Last Sunday, we were at 75 per cent for the Bendigo area, so we’ve been looking at the numbers and how many people are booked in and we expect that we will be at 90 per cent first jabs at the end of the month,” he said.

It comes as regional Victoria got enjoy more freedoms, including gyms and pools, due to the target of 70 per cent people aged 16 and over receiving a first dose.

Last week, 12 Bendigo Health staff members helped with testing and vaccination in Ballarat following an outbreak there, and Mr Cameron said a higher vaccination rate will ease pressure on the health system and staff.

“The problem we have in country Victoria, in every town, every city is people know people,” he said.

When we have outbreaks, we can expect large slabs of health staffs to suddenly not be able to work and then hospitals get behind and we’ve got to catch up.”

On 13 September, the vaccine eligibility opened up to include people aged 12 to 15 years old and within three days 100 people in that age group had received their first dose at Bendigo Health.

Thousands of bookings have been made available.

Mr Cameron said concerns of outbreaks and Bendigo being locked down reduce with a higher vaccination rate.

“Every per cent we go up it reduces, it doesn’t eliminate,” he said. “The closer we get to 100 the better off we’re going to be.

“Hopefully we’ll get to more than 90 per cent and hopefully what that means is we won’t have lockdowns in Bendigo.”