COVID-19 vaccination moving to new home
Staff at the Community Vaccination Hub in Norlane are packing boxes and preparing for a move to a new ‘home of vaccination’ in Geelong.
In recognition of our region’s impressive COVID-19 vaccination rates, the team from the current hub (that was previously the Ford factory) are packing up and relocating to Belmont as vaccination dose numbers continue to decline as most of the community become fully vaccinated.
Located in the former civic function centre at the rear of the Belmont Community Health Centre, the move will mean the newly renamed Barwon Health Vaccination Centre in Belmont will expand vaccinations offered to include COVID-19 from the site on Reynolds Road.
Co-director of the Barwon South West Public Health Unit Deb Kay says the move is an indication on how far the community has come in the fight against COVID-19,
“Our community has responded very well to COVID-19 vaccinations, meaning there is only a very small group of people in the region currently unvaccinated. This means we are now able to down-size the program and the venue of our COVID-19 vaccines.”
Our immunisation team has been offering childhood immunisations and flu vaccinations here for a number of years so it is a natural progression for our COVID-19 vaccination team to make the move to bring vaccinations together in one location.
Vaccination Hub Administration Manager Jess Talbot believes the move will mark a major milestone for hub staff,
“We are excited to be moving to a smaller venue, as it means vaccination rates in our region are exceptional and our community has come together to protect each other and get vaccinated. I’m so proud of our staff that have been part of a historic vaccination rollout. We have all worked together to support each other throughout the past twelve months,” she said.
The last vaccination at the former Ford Factory in Norlane will take place on Saturday 21 May and the door to the Barwon Health Vaccination Centre in Belmont will open on Wednesday 25 May at 8.45am.
The new location will continue to offer walk-ins and bookings for COVID-19 vaccinations for all people aged over five years.
Walk-ins and bookings for booster doses and vaccinations for children aged 5-11 will be available at the Barwon Health Vaccination Centre in Belmont and at local GPs and pharmacies.
Bookings for the centre can be made by calling 1800 675 398 or online here.