Elsie Lange
Hume residents aged five to 11 years old remain the least vaccinated in the state.
Just 38.4 per cent of children have received a vaccination – the lowest number of any local government area (LGAs).
Hume council pandemic response manager Brooke Watson said council is focused on supporting all eligible residents to receive the vaccine.
“Council has a team dedicated to improving vaccination rates, and to encourage five to 11 year-olds to receive the vaccine, we have been supporting pop-up vaccination clinics in schools and as well as providing additional accessible and culturally-friendly pop-up sites,” Ms Watson said.
She said council’s engagement with the community has shaped their approach to offering vaccinations.
“As a result, we’re continuing to establish pop-up sites at locations that our community frequent such as our leisure centres and shopping centres, where walk-up vaccinations are offered,” Ms Watson said.
“This approach has made the vaccine more accessible to our community.
“We’re also partnering with local organisations, sporting clubs, community facilities to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate environments for community members to receive a vaccination.”
A spokesperson from the Department of Health said they’ve made it simple for parents and carers to vaccinate their children.
“Providing child-friendly vaccination centres, pop-up vaccination clinics and school-based programs across the state,” the spokesperson said.
“Vaccinating kids against COVID-19 does more than protect them from serious illness – it helps protect their parents and carers, their friends, their school and their local community.
“It’s easy and safe to get your children vaccinated – simply walk up to any state-run vaccination centre, head to a participating GP or pharmacy, or drop by a pop-up vaccination clinic in your local area.”
While more than 95 per cent of Hume residents 16 years and over have received their second dose of the vaccine, the percentage of those with the third dose has only just reached 50 per cent.
