As the City of Whittlesea emerges from a two-week lockdown, council administrators are urging all eligible residents to get vaccinated.
Northern Health has set up a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination hub at the Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre in South Morang, offering both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.
DPV Health was previously operating a walk-in vaccine station at the centre, which has now relocated to Epping Memorial Hall.
City of Whittlesea chief executive Craig Lloyd said the expansion of the centre to a mass vaccination site would boost its ability to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible.
“We are pleased to partner with the Victorian Government and Northern Health to provide a site capable of offering both vaccines,” he said.
“Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre is ideally suited for this purpose. It has the necessary floor space and the space to secure fridges and freezers legally required to store the vaccines, and it is easily accessible from public transport.”
The Northern Health vaccination hub at Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre will be open from 8.30am to 5pm daily. Walk-ins are welcome, but vaccinations can also be booked at vaccination.nh.org.au.
“Ensuring everyone can get vaccinated when they are eligible is the best way to protect our residents against COVID-19, and that’s the priority for the City of Whittlesea,” Mr Lloyd said.
New COVID-19 restrictions are now in place across the City of Whittlesea.
A 25-kilometre travel limit is now in place, with residents only allowed to travel further for work, education, care and caregiving, and to be vaccinated. Travel into regional Victoria to visit family and friends or take a holiday remains off limits for now.
Home visits remain banned, but outdoor gatherings are permitted up to 10 people.
Cafes, restaurants and pubs are now open with strict safety measures in place, including density limits, seated service and QR codes. QR codes are also now required in all retail settings, as well as hairdressing and beauty. Masks remain mandatory indoors and outdoors.
Weddings are limited to 10 people, and funerals and religious gatherings are limited to 50. Community sport is restricted to training.
Acting Premier James Merlino is expected to announce a further easing of restrictions in both regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne this week.