The COVID-19 vaccine is set to begin its roll out at Warrnambool's respiratory clinic next week after it was given the OK from the federal government.
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The Great South Coast Respiratory Clinic, which started in July as a short-term pop-up centre to swab patients during last year's outbreak, has now been given approval to become a vaccination hub as well as a testing centre.
Director of projects and integrated primary care Sue Fleming said the clinic was waiting on the supply of the vaccine for the 1B rollout.
She said the Commonwealth-funded respiratory clinic was started by Warrnambool Medical Centre last year when there was a push to open GP-led respiratory centres.
"The brief was initially a pop-up shop for six weeks to get on top of the swabbing," she said. "No one knew how long this pandemic would be here.
"Everybody that was participating in that program was highly recommending that we actually offer COVID vaccination in addition to the swabbing."
We've got 3000 sitting parked in an expressions of interest waiting list.
- Sue Fleming
So the clinic, which is located in Lava Steet, will soon start offering vaccinations to the general public.
The staff at the clinic will be the first to get the vaccine when it arrives, and it will then be rolled out to the public.
Ms Fleming said it was hoped the federal vaccine supply would arrive next week before they started taking bookings at both the respiratory clinic and at Warrnambool Medical Clinic's Target site.
She said the clinic had been taking expressions of interest for their patients until a date of vaccines being available was confirmed.
"We've got 3000 sitting parked in an expressions of interest waiting list," she said.
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