High-priority Victorians will start to receive the Pfizer vaccine from Monday, with 240 aged care facilities from almost 200 towns and cities among those to receive the first jabs.
However it has still not been confirmed exactly when the vaccine will arrive in Shepparton.
But Health Minister Greg Hunt said Thursday the rollout "has to start somewhere and it has to finish somewhere", and that the initial sites were carefully selected by health authorities.
"They have done it on a risk basis for the country as well as making sure there's diversity across urban and rural [areas]," he said.
"This is the beginning of the process."
But GV Health confirmed Friday frontline healthcare workers and public aged care residents would be the first to receive the vaccine from the Shepparton hub.
This will include frontline staff working in local hospital emergency departments, urgent care centres, COVID-19 and respiratory wards and intensive care and high-dependency units.
Laboratory staff handling potentially infectious material, ambulance paramedics, and staff in GP respiratory clinics and COVID-19 testing facilities will also be among those to get the first jabs.
However GV Health said these high-priority residents would have to wait until the hub was operational for more specific details of how these initial vaccinations would be provided.
More people will have access to a vaccine as more doses become available throughout 2021.
GV Health COVID-Response executive manager Alicia Cunningham said the exact timing of the local rollout's launch was currently being confirmed with the Department of Health.
"The GV Health vaccine hub has a multi-disciplinary team working across our catchment to ensure we have the necessary arrangements in place to begin vaccinations when the initial doses arrive in our region," she said.
GV Health will operate a vaccine hub in Shepparton and send mobile outreach teams to health services and public sector residential aged care facilities in Shepparton, Numurkah, Nathalia, Cobram, Yarrawonga, Benalla, Mansfield, Yea, Eildon, Alexandra, Kilmore, Seymour, Tatura, Rushworth and Kyabram.
Meanwhile Goulburn Valley private sector aged care and disability care services will work with the Commonwealth to provide vaccine for residents and workers.
“We are excited that the first COVID-19 vaccine is arriving in our region in the coming weeks," GV Health chief executive Matt Sharp said.
"We thank our front-line workers for leading the way and helping to keep us all safe.
“The vaccine is safe, effective and free.
"People receiving the vaccine are helping to protect themselves, their family, their colleagues and the broader community from COVID-19 health implications."
In addition to frontline health staff and public sector residential aged care staff and residents, the first phase of Victoria's coronavirus vaccine rollout will prioritise hotel quarantine and health hotel workers and airport and port workers.
The Pfizer vaccine was the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive Commonwealth regulatory approval from the therapeutic goods administration (TGA) in Australia after meeting high safety, efficacy and quality standards.
Two doses of the vaccine will be provided at least three weeks apart.
Meanwhile Australia's second COVID-19 vaccine, AstraZeneca, was approved on February 16, with the first doses expected to be available in March.
As Victoria receives increased vaccine supplies of both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, the rollout will progress through to phase 1b, 2a and 2b priority groups.
Victoria is continuing to work with the Commonwealth on options for delivery of these doses, such as more suburban and regional hubs, community-based settings and outreach models.
More information about additional vaccination centres will provided over the coming weeks, as details are confirmed.
17°C