26 May 2021
Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect against COVID-19
The community transmission cases in Victoria have provided a timely reminder to all eligible Victorians to have their vaccination.
All Victorian nurses, midwives and personal care workers across all health and aged care services are eligible to attend a state vaccination clinic.
After the COVID-19 outbreak last year and the brutal impact on aged and health care services, vaccination is the best way to protect yourself, your family, your patients, residents and clients and the community.
Healthcare workers bore the brunt of the COVID-19 outbreak last year. We must lead Victorians again by example – by protecting ourselves, we protect the community.
The vaccinations provide protection against severe illness and death if you contract COVID-19.
ANMF is supportive of vaccination, but we do not support punitive measures as effective means to promote vaccination.
We support all direct care workers being vaccinated (subject to any recognised medical exclusions).
Vaccine information – do you want to know more?
The state clinics will have Pfizer vaccine supplies for priority 1a and 1b staff aged under 50 years. However, you must book in advance to ensure supply is available at your closest clinic.
Staff aged 50 and over should receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
If you would like to know more about the rare but serious clotting disorder (thrombosis with thrombocytopenia), affecting approximately six people out of one million (estimated to be 20-40 cases per million in those under 50 years), please read articles by Professor Allen Cheng, an infectious disease physician and director of the Infection Prevention Epidemiology Unit at Alfred Health. Prof Cheng is also a member of the Australian Technical Advisory Group advising the Federal Government on the COVID-19 vaccines.
His most recent article ‘Why we decided to put Pfizer vaccine ahead of AstraZeneca for under-50s’ was in The Age on 9 April 2021.
Victorians will also be looking to nurses and midwives for guidance. If you are talking to patients or clients who are ‘vaccine hesitant’ or simply have questions, our article in the April The Handover ‘Vaccine hesitancy – what it is and how to deal with it’ may help your conversations.
More information
About the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
About the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
What happens after I am vaccinated?
Australian Academy of Science – COVID-19 facts hub
Therapeutic Goods Administration –
World Health Organisation – vaccines explained
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance
Australian Government translated information about COVID-19 vaccines
Getting vaccinated – locations and bookings
There are now 40 Victorian government vaccination centre/clinic locations including:
Melbourne: Carlton (Royal Exhibition Building), Heidelberg (Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital), Ringwood (Ringwood East Community Clinic), South Wharf (Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre), Sunshine (Sunshine Hospital), Box Hill (Box Hill Hospital), Dandenong (Dandenong Hospital), Frankston (Frankston Hospital) Cheltenham (Kingston Centre), Clayton (Monash Medical Centre, Bentleigh (Moorabbin Hospital), Heidelberg (Olivia Newton John Centre), Berwick (St John of God – Berwick Hospital), Rosebud (Rosebud Hospital) and various sites across south-east and wider metropolitan Melbourne.
Regional: Geelong (Former Ford Factory), Ballarat (Mercure Hotel and Convention Centre), Wodonga (Wodonga Community vaccination clinic), Shepparton (Shepparton Showgrounds), Traralgon (Traralgon Racecourse), Bendigo (Bendigo Hospital), Warrnambool (Southwest Healthcare Vaccination Centre), Mansfield (Buckland Community Centre), Castlemaine (Castlemaine Health), Cobram (Nathalia, Cobram and Numurkah Health).
Bookings and additional location information
Book an appointment – call the Victorian Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398.
Let your colleagues know – a translator is available if required by pressing option 0.
Vaccination adverse event response and special paid leave
Public sector nurses and midwives who experience an expected adverse event following the COVID-19 vaccination that impacts your ability to work are eligible for up to two days special paid leave following each dose.
ANMF is encouraging all other employers to follow the Victorian Health Department’s advice for special leave for these circumstances, including the Commonwealth Government for private aged care.
For more information see COVID-19 newsflash #40
Member inquiries
ANMF members with COVID-19-related employment questions can ask Member Assistance via the online inquiry form (scroll to the bottom of the page). You may find the answer to your question in the frequently asked questions on the same page.
Vaccination rollout update
Victorian vaccination numbers – as of 26 May 2021, Victoria’s vaccination centres had administered 385,320 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, with 15,858 in the last 24 hours. (Excludes doses administered by the Federal Government.) Yesterday was a record vaccination day. View the Victorian Government’s vaccination data dashboard
National vaccination numbers – as of 26 May 2021, a total 3,795,280 vaccines have been administered across Australia, with 104,658 in the last 24 hours. View the Federal Government’s national and aged care vaccination data.
Don’t bring it home: guide to minimise the risk of infection
A reminder that ANMF (Vic Branch) has developed a guide to assist you in relation to returning home from work after a shift.
Job Reps and HSRs are encouraged to print the poster which is part of this PDF newsflash. You can also download the ‘Protocols for entering your home and minimising the risk of infection’ A4 poster.
ANMF Job Reps and Health and Safety Reps are encouraged to display this newsflash on their workplace noticeboard.
