Vax and the City: Every public health official in Australia agrees that mass vaccination is the only way out of this crisis. We at Time Out recommend that you get vaccinated as soon as you can if that is appropriate for your own health. Please speak to a medical professional about what is right for you.
More and more Victorians are rolling up their sleeves to get vaccinated, with more than 70 per cent of eligible people in the state having received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Vaccinations are Victoria's only path out of lockdown, with Victorian premier Dan Andrews saying the state will not say farewell to lockdowns until 80 per cent of those over 16 have been fully vaccinated. The good news is that there are now several ways to do your part and book your vaccination appointment.
If you are aged 18 and over
You are eligible for the Moderna vaccine, the Pfizer vaccine or the AstraZeneca vaccine. You can now walk up to any major state-run hub around Victoria to get a Moderna or Pfizer vaccination. You can also book an appointment at one of the vaccination centres around Victoria or your own GP to get your Pfizer or AstraZeneca jab, or book an appointment at a pharmacy at Find a Pharmacy to get a Moderna or AstraZeneca vaccine. To get the AstraZeneca vaccine, you'll need to speak to a healthcare professional at a state-run clinic, pharmacy or your own GP to give consent that you understand the risks, including the extremely rare but serious thrombosis thrombocytopenia (TTS). A reminder: the AstraZeneca vaccine is approved as a safe option that is effective against Covid-19, including the highly contagious Delta variant. As Victoria's chief health officer continually says, the best vaccine you can get is the one you can get today.
If you are aged 12 to 17
You are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine or the Moderna vaccine. You can book an appointment via the government website or call 1800 675 398 for Pfizer or book an appointment at Find a Pharmacy for Moderna. You can also walk up to a major state-run hub to get your vaccination.
If you are pregnant
The federal government has updated the national vaccine eligibility checker to now include pregnant people. This means that pregnant people, now classified in the phase 1b category, can now book their Pfizer or Moderna vaccine appointments online or at Find a Pharmacy, or walk up to a major state-run vaccination hub.
If you don't have Medicare
Covid-19 vaccines are free for everyone in Australia regardless of their Medicare or visa status, but you will have to book in at a Commonwealth, state or territory vaccination clinic. You can find a list of those clinics here, and you'll be able to book in online. No other documentation is necessary other than a copy of your photo ID.
If you require proof that you've had your vaccination, you can ask your vaccine provider to print a copy of your Immunisation History Statement for you or you can call the Australian Immunisation Register to have a copy of your vaccination history sent in the post. Here's how you can get your vaccine certificate on your phone or digital wallet.
For more information, check with your doctor or with the Victorian government website.