By Olivia Condous
State-run vaccine facilities will begin to close in the coming months as health professionals working to vaccinate residents will return to the public health system.
By the end of May, only thirty state-run vaccination centres will remain open as the vaccine hub network is scaled down, with many people often receiving vaccines at pharmacies and doctors clinics.
The closing of many hubs will mean that health professionals are able to deliver other services across the public health system.
The remaining vaccine hubs will service local government areas with vulnerable communities.
The government COVID-19 vaccination program will also continue through medical clinics and pharmacies.
Since the beginning of the vaccine rollout, the Victorian government has administered 6.1 million doses.
As two-thirds of Victorians over the age of sixteen have received their third dose, there is less demand for specialised vaccine services and the COVID-19 vaccine can become a part of immunisation services in primary care with support from the government.
Health minister Martin Foley said the state government’s vaccine rollout had been one of the biggest public health programs in Victorian history.
“Everyone who worked in a vaccination centre played a part in helping us become one of the most vaccinated societies on earth,” Mr Foley said.
“Victorians will always have the ability to get protected against COVID-19 at the places most people usually go to for medicines and health services, their local GP or pharmacy.”
