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The first Canberrans to receive a COVID-19 vaccine could do so within days. ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said those eligible for the first doses of the vaccine would be contacted this week to advise them of a time and place they could receive the jab. Vaccines would be rolled out to healthcare workers from next week, should current schedules and availability be met. The first vials are expected to arrive in Canberra from February 22. Those eligible to be vaccinated as part of phase 1a of the vaccine rollout will receive an email this week, where they are then told to call a designated COVID-19 vaccine hotline to schedule the jab. The vaccinations are set to be administered at the Garran surge centre on Garran Oval. The centre is also being used as a COVID-19 testing facility. Testing will still be carried out at the Garran centre, due to the facility being able to be safely separated into spaces for those suspected of being infected and those who are receiving the jab. READ MORE: ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the centre was designed with infection-control measures in mind. “It operates as two separate facilities and with separate entrances for testing and for vaccinations,” she said. “This means that it can continue to operate safely as a testing site and for a vaccination service.” Those who will get the vaccination first include quarantine workers, COVID-19 testing staff, pathology staff and emergency department workers at Canberra and Calvary hospitals, along with those in Yass and Queanbeyan hospitals. Staff from one healthcare team won’t all be vaccinated at once The rollout for other people as part of phase 1a of the vaccination program, such as staff and residents at disability and aged-care facilities, would be managed by the federal government. Mr Barr said the rollout would be a logistical challenge. “It’s one of the biggest the nation has faced in living memory, there are many operational and communication challenges,” Mr Barr said. “The majority of Canberrans won’t be eligible [for the vaccine] until the second half of this year at the earliest.” It comes as the first shipments of the Pfizer vaccine arrived in Australia on Monday. Staff members are currently being recruited to administer the vaccine in the ACT. An increased security presence will be at Canberra Hospital to safeguard vaccine supply. Mr Barr said some politicians in Canberra might get the vaccine as part of the initial rollout, but the Chief Minister expected to get the jab later in the year as part of the fifth cohort. “I don’t feel personally there’s a particular need to appease an anti-vaxxer community in the ACT for politicians here to get vaccinated, but that’s an individual decision,” he said. For faster access to the latest Canberra news, download The Canberra Times app for iOS and Android.
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The first Canberrans to receive a COVID-19 vaccine could do so within days.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said those eligible for the first doses of the vaccine would be contacted this week to advise them of a time and place they could receive the jab.
Vaccines would be rolled out to healthcare workers from next week, should current schedules and availability be met.
The first vials are expected to arrive in Canberra from February 22.
Those eligible to be vaccinated as part of phase 1a of the vaccine rollout will receive an email this week, where they are then told to call a designated COVID-19 vaccine hotline to schedule the jab.
The vaccinations are set to be administered at the Garran surge centre on Garran Oval. The centre is also being used as a COVID-19 testing facility.
Testing will still be carried out at the Garran centre, due to the facility being able to be safely separated into spaces for those suspected of being infected and those who are receiving the jab.
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the centre was designed with infection-control measures in mind.
“It operates as two separate facilities and with separate entrances for testing and for vaccinations,” she said.
“This means that it can continue to operate safely as a testing site and for a vaccination service.”
Those who will get the vaccination first include quarantine workers, COVID-19 testing staff, pathology staff and emergency department workers at Canberra and Calvary hospitals, along with those in Yass and Queanbeyan hospitals.
Staff from one healthcare team won’t all be vaccinated at once
The rollout for other people as part of phase 1a of the vaccination program, such as staff and residents at disability and aged-care facilities, would be managed by the federal government.
Mr Barr said the rollout would be a logistical challenge.
“It’s one of the biggest the nation has faced in living memory, there are many operational and communication challenges,” Mr Barr said.
“The majority of Canberrans won’t be eligible [for the vaccine] until the second half of this year at the earliest.”
It comes as the first shipments of the Pfizer vaccine arrived in Australia on Monday.
Staff members are currently being recruited to administer the vaccine in the ACT.
An increased security presence will be at Canberra Hospital to safeguard vaccine supply.
Mr Barr said some politicians in Canberra might get the vaccine as part of the initial rollout, but the Chief Minister expected to get the jab later in the year as part of the fifth cohort.
“I don’t feel personally there’s a particular need to appease an anti-vaxxer community in the ACT for politicians here to get vaccinated, but that’s an individual decision,” he said.
