Pfizer vaccine now available to more under-50s

THE federal government’s COVID-19 vaccination program has expanded in Victoria, with a blitz following the delivery of more Pfizer vaccine.

As of Monday this week, Victorians aged under 50 in several priority groups can get the Pfizer vaccine at vaccination centres across Victoria, including the Barwon Health hub at the former Ford factory in North Geelong.

These include:

• Critical and high-risk workers such as emergency services workers, Australian Defence Force personnel and licenced meat and seafood processing workers
• Adults with specified underlying health conditions, or severe mental health conditions
• Disability services workers and carers of people with a disability, both paid and unpaid
• Paid and unpaid carers of people who are over 70, or who have specified underlying medical conditions, and
• Public-facing transport workers, including public transport, taxi and rideshare drivers (from Monday, May 24).

This is in addition to many more healthcare and aged care workers, hotel quarantine and border workers and others already eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine if they are under 50.

People under 50 years old eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine must make a booking by phoning 1800 675 398.

Open-access vaccination centres continue to offer the AstraZeneca vaccine to all Victorians aged over 50, including through walk-in appointments where available.

For the full list of specified underlying health conditions, head to the Department of Health’s website.