COVID-19 vaccinations soar among inner-north residents thanks to partnership with DPV Health
Published Jul 30 2021
Merri Health and DPV Health have partnered to open the only pop-up COVID-19 vaccination hub in Moreland (The Uniting Church in Coburg) making it easier and more convenient for residents to get the AstraZeneca vaccine. Since it opened, over 2480 inner-north residents have been vaccinated!
We worked closely to find a venue and open the doors with only a few days’ notice after recognising the need for a local vaccination centre.
“It’s made it quicker and easier for people in Moreland to get their COVID-19 vaccine and we’re proud to partner with DPV Health to help keep this diverse local community healthy and safe.” Tassia Michaleas, Merri Health CEO.
In addition to our hub, we have been working with DPV Health and Merri Outreach Support Services (MOSS) to bring vaccinations to the doorstep of some of Melbourne’s most vulnerable residents, with a mobile vaccination clinic at high-rise Barkly Towers in Brunswick.
As of June 2021, 72% of residents were vaccinated through the engagement and on-site support of Merri Health and MOSS, with many facilitated by the mobile vaccination clinic from 24 - 26 May.
This achievement was recognised by Victorian Minister for Health, Martin Foley, who praised our “local knowledge, local contacts and local confidence” within the community.
To build relationships with residents and reduce vaccine hesitancy, Merri Health and MOSS visited residents ahead of the mobile clinic, to talk about the COVID-19 vaccine, answer questions, help them book, and discuss other services to support their wellbeing.
To help increase vaccine knowledge and reduce vaccine hesitancy within Supported Residential Services (SRS), Merri Health’s High-Risk Accommodation Response (HRAR) team listened to barriers those in SRS settings may face when wanting to be vaccinated. The HRAR team delivered vaccine Q&A sessions, provided pre and post vaccine support, supplied taxi vouchers for residents to get to vaccine centres, and once again, partnered with vaccinators to bring mobile vaccination clinics to SRS settings around Moreland. As of July 2021, over 285 residents and staff have been vaccinated because of the work the HRAR team have done building that local trust.
The Coburg vaccine clinic will reopen Thursday 5 August for people to receive their second dose of AstraZeneca.
“I’ve got to give a shout out to the fantastic work being done by the Community Health partners, Merri Health, CoHealth, Star Health, a whole coalition of groups have been working for months building up really close relationships with those public housing communities and other high risk housing groups, both in terms of training up people as community leaders, dealing with some of the misconceptions around vaccines.”
The Hon. Martin Foley MP