MILDURA’S rate of full COVID-19 vaccination has jumped almost 20 per cent in the past two weeks as north-west Victoria continues to smash its targets.
After the full COVID-19 vaccination rate for the Mildura local government area sat at 62.8 per cent on October 17, that number jumped to 82.1 per cent last Sunday.
All four local government areas in the Mildura electorate now have more than 80 per cent of people over 15 fully vaccinated.
Yarriambiack Shire has hit 87.6 per cent, Buloke Shire has jumped to 92.6 per cent, and Swan Hill Rural City has surged past the 95 per cent mark.
North-west Victoria had been expected to hit its 80 per cent double-dose vaccination target this Saturday.
With more than 95 per cent of people in Mildura having received their first dose, Dr John Dyson-Berry, of Lime Medical Clinic, said his clinic was “still flat out” with more vaccination bookings to come.
He said he had seen a “reasonable increase” in first-time vaccinations, with the reasons for hesitancy becoming “much clearer” than it had been in the beginning.
“People that have been very resistant about the mandate are changing their mind and that’s because the discussion has turned more towards (vaccination being) a preparation for safe work,” Dr Dyson-Berry said.
“You wouldn’t be a pilot with poor eyesight. You wouldn’t be a person in the community without the vaccine.”
His clinic recently began offering vaccinations to people 12 and over and Dr Dyson-Berry said a “broad spectrum” of the population was now getting the message.
It was a sentiment echoed by Member for Mildura Ali Cupper, who said north-west Victoria had shown an incredible commitment to protecting the community as it returned to normal.
“What the latest vaccination numbers demonstrate is the appetite of people to get their lives back to normal, and the way to do that is through vaccination,” Ms Cupper said.
She said the vast majority of people in Mildura, Swan Hill, Buloke and Yarriambiack had boosted their protection.
“Importantly, they’re also safeguarding those around them, including young children and the medically exempt, who are unable to get a COVID-19 vaccine.”
Vaccination numbers in Wentworth have also improved by more than 10 per cent in the last two weeks and now sit at a 79.4 per cent full COVID-19 vaccination rate as at 31 October. Currently 88.9 per cent of the population 15 and over have received a single dose.
The recent surge in vaccinations has had one drawback for Dr Dyson-Berry, who said with the increased availability, many people had failed to cancel their bookings when seeking vaccinations from other venues.
“What we are finding in our clinic and other places that have bookings is that people are not turning up and when you ring them, they’ve already been vaccinated,” Dr Dyson-Berry said.
“It would be nice if people who have had (a vaccination) cancel those appointments so other people can get them.”
