GV Health chief executive Matt Sharp said the hospital had been undertaking preparations in recent weeks to ensure it was set to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as possible.
"This has included ensuring we have the facilities to store the vaccines at the required temperature, identifying venues to administer the vaccine and also to ensure there is an adequate number of healthcare workers available,” he said.
"This is a pivotal time for our region, Victoria and Australia.
"GV Health is excited to be playing a key role in the COVID-19 vaccination program for our local community."
Mr Sharp said a team of GV Health staff dedicated to managing the pandemic in the region since early last year had played an integral role in the co-ordination, strategy development and implementation of the vaccine hub.
"We are also in the process of identifying and training a number of healthcare workers to administer the vaccine," he said.
"This also includes partnering with neighbouring health services across the region regarding the availability of their staff."
More details of precisely where GV Health’s vaccine hub will be located and how the public will access it will be provided prior to it being activated.
Mr Sharp said factors such as ease of access, sufficient space and adequate infrastructure would be considered in choosing the eventual location.
EARLIER:
Shepparton has been confirmed as one of nine Victorian hubs chosen for the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine, with Goulburn Valley Health to oversee vaccinations in the region.
The other hubs, which are spread across regional and metropolitan Victoria, include Western Health, Austin Health, Monash Health, Barwon Health, La Trobe Health, Bendigo Health, Ballarat Health and Albury-Wodonga Health.
Ultra-cold freezers will be set up at the hubs to store the Pfizer vaccine at the -70 degree Celsius temperature required.
"This requires both specialist equipment and specialist distribution arrangements. At the responsibility of the Commonwealth, they will then make that available to the hubs," Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said at this morning's press conference.
"At the responsibility of the state, we will store it and we will distribute it from those nine hubs to the priority workforces and priority groups identified."
This comes as Victoria hits 28 days straight of no community transmission of COVID-19.
Quarantine and border workers and all staff working in the hotel quarantine program will be among those eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine as part of Phase 1a, as will aged care and disability care staff and residents.
Frontline at-risk healthcare workers will also be eligible, including hospital staff working in COVID and suspected COVID wards, emergency department and ICU staff, staff at GP respiratory clinics and COVID-19 testing facilities, ambulance staff and paramedics.
Mr Foley said the State Government still didn't know exactly when the vaccine would be made available.
"Our friends at the Commonwealth have indicated in late-February, and we're working on the basis that as soon as the vaccine is made available, we will be in a position to start that roll-out in accordance with the agreed processes," he said.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive Commonwealth regulatory approval in Australia, undergoing a complete assessment and approval process and meeting high safety, efficacy and quality standards.
Two doses of the vaccine will be provided at least three weeks apart.
The broader population is set to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine as part of the second phase.
Timelines of the rollouts of other vaccines, including AstraZeneca, will depend on the Commonwealth’s regulatory approval, volume and timing of doses becoming available.
Work is underway to identify sites across Victoria with the aim of ensuring all Victorians can easily get vaccinated.
More to come.
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