By Jamie Salter
On Tuesday, 11 January, the Victorian Government announced a $4 million grant for GPs and community pharmacists to establish additional mini-vaccination clinics at schools.
The Primary Care Vaccinations in Schools program aims to deliver more doses for kids between 5 and 11 in areas that need more uptake, due to identified access challenges or increased risk of transmission.
Local and trusted health professionals will deliver vaccinations to students in the familiarity of their own school environment, outside of school hours.
Applicants will nominate the local government areas and number of schools and students they can help vaccinate – then successful applicants will be matched with schools in priority areas.
Successful applicants can receive up to $6,500 to cover staffing, travel and equipment costs and more and an additional $5,000 clinic establishment fee per school is also available.
As part of the program, 30 pop-up vaccination clinics at primary schools will be rolled out across the state over the coming weeks.
The pop-up vaccination clinics set to open in the City of Casey include Cranbourne West Primary School, Fountain Gate Primary School, Mossgiel Park Primary School and Narre Warren South P-12 College.
The pop-ups will be open to all children aged 5 to 11, not just those attending the school hosting the clinic.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said getting vaccinated was the best way to keep families safe.
“With 30 vaccination centres at schools, more than 35 vaccination centres in the community, plus grants for GPs and pharmacies to deliver more vaccines – we are doing all we can to get jabs into arms young and old,” he said.
“Vaccination was the best thing you do to keep your children and family safe – get the kids vaccinated and your third dose at the same time.”
To learn more about the Primary Care Vaccinations in Schools program visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au/grants-primary-care-vaccinations
