The East Grampians Health Service have announced they will be hosting pop-up vaccination clinics in Stawell and surrounds to help boost COVID vaccination rates in smaller townships.
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Data released by EGHS showed several townships within the Northern Grampians Shire Council area which have low rates of double dose vaccination.
Great Western, Halls Gap, Dadswell Bridge, Glenorchy and the Marnoo Region (45 per cent) all have a double dose vaccination rate below 50 per cent, meaning they are now the target areas for health services.
The data also showed 86 per cent of Stawell residents over the age of 16 have received their first dose of the vaccination.
EGHS infection control coordinator Leeanne Atkinson said the health service has been able to identify the towns who have the lowest rate of vaccinations.
"We have identified a few of the local townships that we need to focus on," she said.
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"It (vaccination rates) can be skewed results because it can be just a handful of people in a small community which makes it look really bad.
"Where in reality it is not that bad at all."
Mrs Atkinson said EGHS has made plans to help raise the vaccination rates in smaller surrounding towns.
"What we are planning to do is to work with the Grampians Public Health unit to do pop up clinics," she said.
"We have got a plan for November 18 in Pomonal and we have one planned on November 8 in Willaura.
"We are going to hopefully do another one in Great Western as well.
"The idea is that they will come along and support us and just try to encourage people to come in and get vaccinated."
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Mrs Atkinson said the clinics will have extended opening hours to suit the communities.
"What all of the communities with the low rates all have in common is that they are farming communities," she said.
"It is possible that farming families are not able to leave their farming properties to come in and get vaccinated because of their workload and the operation hours of the clinics.
"Particularly with the Willaura clinic we are running into the evening, we are going from about 2:00pm to 7:00pm to enable the farming families to leave the farm and come in and get vaccinated.
"If that doesn't work the next will be going to the farms and vaccinating wherever they are working."
The data also showed that 81 per cent of Ararat residents over the age of 16 have had their first dose of the vaccination.
All pop-up clinics will accept appointments and walk-ins and will have sausage sizzles for the community.
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