Greater Shepparton GP clinics to participate in next phase of COVID-19 vaccine program from Monday

These services will come online from March 22, with numbers increasing to more than 4000 clinics by the end of April as part of Phase 1B of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout.

A group comprising six million Australians, Phase 1B will include anyone 70 years or over, along with more healthcare and frontline workers and people with particular medical conditions.

However, some participating GP clinics are claiming the announcement the rollout would begin Monday, made by Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on Wednesday, took them by surprise.

But Mooroopna Medical Centre and Kialla Medical Clinic practice manager Caitlin Burns said her team was prepared to begin jabs from Monday.

"I feel confident. I just want it to hurry up and start, then I’ll stop stressing," she said.

"The bit that catches me off-guard is the government is still releasing news when we’re just five days away.

"I’m someone that likes to be prepared and organised and have a plan, so I’m not a big fan of finding out information with just a few days to go."

Ms Burns said she was still waiting on some vital documentation to be provided.

"There will be a declaration form you will need to sign if you don’t have proof you’re part of (Phase) 1B – I’m still waiting for that to be released," she said.

"I’ve been told it’ll be today or tomorrow, then I can pass that onto my receptionists so they know what that form looks like.

"HotDoc will also release a COVID booking system tomorrow – so stuff like that is still being released with only a couple days to go."

Online bookings are now being taken for Phase 1B, and can be made through the vaccine eligibility checker on the health.gov.au website.

Informed of the March 22 start date for the general practice rollout "a week or two ago", Ms Burns said her clinics had been given a tight deadline to prepare.

"But we’re ready to go," she said.

The Federal Government said this staged scale-up would align with the supply of the locally-produced AstraZeneca vaccine, and as more vaccine became available, more services would come online.

The Phase 1B rollout will aim to complement the vaccination program already under way to protect Australia's most vulnerable citizens in Phase 1A, which has seen approximately 200,000 people vaccinated by the end of Tuesday, March 16.

Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum praised the "overwhelming response" from Australia’s primary care sector to support the national COVID-19 vaccination effort.

“This is a clear demonstration of the commitment of the primary care sector to public health and to the communities they serve," he said.

“I would personally like to thank all practices who expressed an interest in participating in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and for their ongoing commitment to support their local community.”

Residents eligible for Phase 1B will be able to find a vaccination provider through the new national vaccination information and location service, at the Department of Health website.

This will allow people to locate their nearest general practice providing vaccinations and link through to clinics' online booking systems or phone numbers to make the appointment.

Appointments on the service finder will increase as general practices establish their systems and vaccine supply.

More appointments will also become available as more clinics come on board.

People will also be able to book their vaccine appointments directly at a participating general practice, as they would for a seasonal flu vaccine.

As the rollout moves into the second phase, additional general practices and selected community pharmacists will also participate in the program.

It still hasn't been announced when Shepparton's private aged-care and disability sector - part of Phase 1A - will be vaccinated.

This comes as Victoria recorded its 19th day in a row of no local COVID-19 transmission on Wednesday, after more than 21,464 test results were received.

Where do I go and how do I book in?

Go to the Department of Health website. Using the eligibility checker, you can find out which phase of the rollout you are in. If you are eligible, you will be able to view vaccination clinics and book an appointment online or via phone. If you are not yet eligible, you will be able to register your interest so that you can be notified when you are able to book.

If you prefer not to use the online option, you can call the National Coronavirus and COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 1800 020 080.

Will I be able to choose where I book an appointment?

You will be able to view and select clinic locations based on the postcode you enter.

What happens if there are no clinics or appointments in my area?

A list of Commonwealth vaccination clinics, participating general practices, and state and territory vaccination clinics will be made available as they come online.

Do I have to use the eligibility checker in order to book?

The checker is a helpful tool to help you find out if you are currently eligible to book.

The checker will guide you through to a simple way to find and book vaccine appointments, or help you register to be notified if you are part of a later phase. If you prefer to book appointments directly at a participating general practice or Commonwealth or state vaccination clinic, you can contact them directly to do so.