New northern jab clinics open

Drive through vaccination clinic at the former Ford factory in Broadmeadows. (Damjan Janevski) 248120_01

Laura Michell

Two additional vaccination hubs have opened in the northern suburbs in recent weeks, as the state government strives to get one million COVID-19 jabs into arms by mid-September.

St Vincent’s Hospital and Hume council have partnered to run a vaccination hub on the site of the former Ford factory in Campbellfield, which is one of the state’s first drive-though vaccine clinics.

Meanwhile the Melbourne Market Authority has partnered with Austin Health to run a vaccine clinic at the Melbourne Market in Epping.

Hume mayor Joseph Haweil said the drive-through clinic, which opened on August 23, was a “significant step forward” to improve vaccination rates in Hume.

“We have been advocating to the Victorian Government to undertake a more targeted and accessible vaccine roll-out approach and are delighted that a major vaccination site will be located at the former Ford site,” he said.

The pop-up clinic at the Melbourne Market, which will operate until next week, is a chance for essential workers in the fresh produce supply chain to get the jab on the job.

Melbourne Market Authority said over 10,000 people use the Melbourne Market as a base for buying fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers in the early hours of the morning. Every one of the 10,000 Melbourne Market access cardholders will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the Melbourne Market Vaccination Hub.

“We’re pleased to see so many market users keen to roll up their sleeves,” Melbourne Market Authority chief executive Mark Maskiell said.