Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh has joined the queue at Echuca Regional Health for his first dose of AstraZeneca.
Although he said he almost doubled the number checking in for his shot because of the efficiency of the ERH frontline team.
Mr Walsh said ERH had introduced a fast-track to get people from the front door to a seat in the vaccination hub.
“ERH is running a very slick vaccination centre with people coming in for shots ushered right through the process with a well-drilled and very welcoming team is on hand to get you in and out as fast as possible,” Mr Walsh said.
“ERH chief executive Nick Bush tells me they do have a bit of a bank up in the mornings but by lunchtime waiting times are almost down to zero,” he said.
“I am hearing from Swan Hill to Shepparton, the regional hubs and local medical practices are showing how smooth the process can be and how easy it is to get this valuable vaccine.
“With the reports coming out of Melbourne, and the latest details such as Malaysia going into a two week, hard lockdown and Vietnam trying to vaccinate all of Ho Chi Minh City in a very short timeframe the message is clear – Australia is doing so much better than most and the more of us who get to a hub and get their shots; the better off we will all be.
“Vaccination protects the individual but also helps protect the community and I urge everyone who is yet to be vaccinated to get down to their local vaccination site – whether it is the hospital or local medical practices – and get the jab.”
Mr Walsh said he had no side effects from his first injection and felt the only vaccination side effect that needs to be addressed is the reluctance of some people to get theirs.
He said he understood how Australian might view the virus differently to many overseas countries, because apart from the Andrews Labor Government’s epic hotel quarantine fail in lockdown two, our overall national management of the pandemic has significantly minimised the risk.
“But around the world we are seeing second and third waves of infection and as a country we are fortunate to have enough vaccine to go around and I strongly recommend everyone get on board.”
