EPIDEMIOLOGIST Jenny Dittmer never thought she\u2019d be a crucial part of the Bendigo local public health unit.<\/p>\n
Previously a researcher at the Burnett Institute in Melbourne, Ms Dittmer moved to Kyneton at the end of last year before taking up the position at Bendigo Health in July.<\/p>\n
Since then, she has been on the frontline of regional Victoria\u2019s battle with COVID-19, most recently assisting with Shepparton\u2019s outbreak.<\/p>\n
She said moving from research to being \u201cat the coalface\u201d as part of the public health unit is something that initially excited her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was kind of feeling a bit left out of the response and being like \u2018I\u2019m an infectious disease epidemiologist I want to work on COVID\u2019 because it\u2019s the biggest thing that\u2019s going to happen in our lifetime and to be in the position to help in that response, I wanted to do that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Tasked to Shepparton\u2019s PHU, Ms Dittmer assisted in making decisions on what to open up and how to manage school campuses affected by COVID-19.<\/p>\n
\u201cShepparton were amazing, they\u2019re such a great team they were super helpful they were really excited for me to be there, it took me a couple of hours to get my head around it and then just break it down, relying on their local knowledge,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Dittmer said her job involves analysing data and providing context and advice around the information given to her, and she assists where she can around the state, including Melbourne\u2019s northern suburbs.<\/p>\n
She is one of two epidemiologists in the regions, with another positioned at Barwon\u2019s public health unit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think I ever imagined I would be able to be in regional Victoria and do this job, in the past these kind of jobs have only been available in the Department of Health in the city,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I did my epi degree, I accepted I would have to be there or in research in Melbourne or a major city. To be able to be regional and do this job is really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n
With an office in the Mollison Street Bendigo Health vaccination hub, Ms Dittmer watches people line up to receive the jab every day and is inspired by the region\u2019s response to vaccines.<\/p>\n
She said the focus of the public health unit will soon turn to how to get the last 20 and 10 per cent of the eligible population vaccinated.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s amazing how on-board Bendigo and Loddon Mallee has been for vaccination, the reality is we\u2019re going to get to a point where people aren\u2019t lining up to get vaccinated anymore and there\u2019ll still be a lot of people that we need to be vaccinating,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of work we can do around targeting the right communities in the right ways as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Dittmer said public health units are growing and she expects more epidemiologists to be employed, even after the pandemic.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a great desire for the LPHUs to become self-sustained bodies within themselves that are handling the health and wellbeing of Loddon Mallee outside of COVID,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
EPIDEMIOLOGIST Jenny Dittmer never thought she\u2019d be a crucial part of the Bendigo local public health unit. Previously a researcher at the Burnett Institute in Melbourne, Ms Dittmer moved to Kyneton at the end of last year before taking up the position at Bendigo Health in July. Since then, she has been on the frontline […]<\/p>\n