Health Minister Greg Hunt is now reigniting his push for school-based vaccination programs after experts met last week to discuss new ways to speed up the vaccination rollout for children.The Herald Sun can reveal the local government area of Hume continues to have the state’s lowest rate among kids aged five to 11, with only 37.8 per cent across suburbs including Broadmeadows, Craigieburn, Mickleham and Sunbury having received one dose. That rate is only slightly higher in Murrindindi, which takes in Yea and Marysville, at 38.8 per cent. Vaccination rates for primary school students are as high as 72 per cent in Melbourne and 70.4 per cent in Queenscliffe, although both areas have smaller numbers of children.As of midnight on Sunday, at least half of the 79 local government areas across Victoria had vaccination rates between 50-60 per cent, with regional Victorian council areas more likely to be below that level.Covid vax rates 5-11 year olds by LGASince Pfizer’s paediatric vaccine was made available on January 10, 54.8 per cent of Victorian children aged five to 11 — 317,079 out of 578,446 — have rolled up their sleeves compared to 50.6 per cent nationwide.Health Minister Greg Hunt says although the take-up has been excellent, there were some areas where authorities wanted to see lagging rates improve. He wants school-based programs rolled out statewide, arguing this would deliver the biggest boost to jabs in arms.“There is no one single solution, but a range of actions which could further support children’s vaccines,” a spokesman for Mr Hunt said. “There is already widespread access across the country through GP’s pharmacies and state clinics. The next step is for the state to offer voluntary school-based vaccination to every school in Victoria.”Daniel Andrews criticised that suggestion last month, saying: “Victorians don’t take orders from Greg Hunt”.But the Premier said he wanted vaccination rates among primary school aged children to be higher before mask rules were eased for students in grades three to six. Health authorities and experts last week discussed ways to increase the uptake at a national roundtable led by social scientist Professor Julie Leask, with the meeting hearing Victoria’s limited school-based programs in January had high uptake. Victoria has held more than 1300 pop-up clinics and mobile sites, and is now offering Covid shots at zoos, the Melbourne Aquarium, shopping centres, markets.
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