Only one COVID case in Robinvale

ONLY one active case of COVID-19 remains in Robinvale, with no positive cases among seasonal workers in the area.

Robinvale District Health Service (RDHS) COVID-Lead Anita Erlandsen said after conducting 409 tests in the past two weeks, RDHS found two positive cases, one of which was reclassified to Mildura.

Mrs Erlandsen said the positive case in Robinvale was being monitored at home, where they received three calls a day and were “doing very well”.

“There was another case that came out of someone who was really quite unwell. Two registered nurses went round to that person’s place on Thursday, and made the clinical decision that that person needed to be transferred to Mildura Base Hospital,” Mrs Erlandsen said.

Mrs Erlandsen said the response from non-Medicare holders and farm workers had been “amazing”.

“They turn up in droves for the vaccination clinic. (They’re) so, so grateful to be able to be vaccinated,” she said.

“I did one man that actually had tears because he said, ‘I’m not allowed to go home until I’ve been vaccinated and I didn’t think I’d be able to get it here’.”

Since August, Mrs Erlandsen said RDHS, in collaboration with Bendigo Health, had administered close to 2500 first doses, to non-Medicare holders, farm workers and those living in high-risk accommodation: those who live on farm accommodation or workers living in arrangements where several families lived in the one home.

Mrs Erlandsen said about 1000 farm workers had received their second dose and Bendigo Health, which has been running clinics every fortnight since August, would return this weekend to administer a further 600 second doses to farm workers, with the vaccination clinic already booked out.

“Our focus was on those without a Medicare card, because they’re a difficult group to get the vaccination elsewhere in Robinvale,” Mrs Erlandsen said.

“We’ve been busily getting this cohort of the community vaccinated. So hopefully, if ever, and it hasn’t happened to date, but (if) COVID was to hit this farming community, they’d be well protected.”
RDHS and Robinvale Hospital currently conduct COVID-19 tests every day from 9am to 4pm.

Medicare card holders can access RDHS’s vaccination clinic at Robinvale Civic Centre, while Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines are also available by booking with Dr Jane Neyland at Robinvale District Medical Centre. Murray Valley Aboriginal Cooperative’s walk-in vaccination clinic is also available. For further details, call MVAC on 5026 3353.

Euston’s next vaccination clinic, which will be run by RDHS and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, will be run on November first. Please contact RDHS on 5051 8111 to confirm the venue.