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Enchanted: The Traralgon Racecourse is one of eight kid-friendly flagship state-run COVID vaccination centres to help children between five and 11 to get their jabs. photograph gregor mactaggart Centre a forest of protection

THE Traralgon Racecourse is one of eight kidfriendly flagship state-run COVID vaccination centres to help children between five and 11 to get their jabs. These sites are being transformed into a friendly “forest of protection” for kids, featuring Australian animals, entertainers, activities and showbags. It comes as vaccines for kids aged between five and 11 can now be booked online or through the coronavirus hotline. Children could receive the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from Monday. Online bookings require a unique email address, which can be the child’s address or another one belonging to a parent or guardian. Acting Premier Jacinta Allan said getting children vaccinated would be providing them with “direct protection against COVID-19 and reducing the risk of transmission to loved ones and in schools”. “We want to create a vaccination experience that is positive for the whole family,” Ms Allan said. “The forest themed hubs have been designed to provide a welcoming and accessible experience for children of all backgrounds and abilities.” The showbag of goodies includes a colouring-in book by First Nations artist Emma Bamblett, coloured pencils, stickers and fidget spinners. The centres have eucalyptus vaccination trees where kids can place a leaf with their name on it to help the tree grow, and parents can also add a leaf after receiving their third dose. The state-run sites have been designed to cater for children who need additional support such as a visual distraction, virtual reality headsets and the Buzzy Bees ice pack. The child-friendly vaccination hubs provide low-sensory booths to cater for specific needs. Parents and guardians can also check for paediatric vaccination appointments at their local GPs and pharmacies. An immunisation plan has been developed by the Department of Health and The Royal Children’s Hospital to help parents and carers decide where and how to book based on their child’s needs. For more information or to book a vaccine, visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccine, phone1800 675 398 or via your local pharmacy or GP.

Demand spikes

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An unofficial website Find a RAT was created to help “find those sneaky RATs” by postcode. However, only one outlet was listed for the Valley. “People are being told to get tested, but they can’t get a test. The whole system is being overburdened. It’s been a calamity in many respects and people are fed up or distressed,” Mr Northe said. “I also think there is a lot of confusion when people are supposed to get tested as the rules are changing every day.” Labor Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing assured that more testing would become available throughout January, but also called on the federal government to do its part. “We are working to provide free tests throughout Victoria due to the lack of tests from the Commonwealth. We need the Commonwealth to step up,” Ms Shing said.

LONGWARRY FIRE BRIGADE MARKET IS BACK FOR 2022

First Sunday of the month Next Market: Sunday 6 February

Bennett Street, Longwarry Something for everyone. Hot and cold food and drinks. All proceeds go to the local CFA. Phone Janine 0419 158 946 Covid safe practices in place

New app allows local doctors to remotely monitor patients

GIPPSLAND doctors are using a new app to remotely monitor local COVID-19 positive patients in their own home under a Gippsland Primary Health Network initiative. Seventeen local GP clinics are using a digital platform called Lifeguard to monitor people identified as low-risk COVID-19 positive. Gippsland PHN chief executive officer Amanda Proposch said a number of regional health organisations and general practices were already using Lifeguard to care for patients with chronic illness. “Lifeguard enables health professionals to easily monitor the health status of multiple patients at once, including the ability to detect patient deterioration early,” Ms Proposch said. “People in the program enter data into the remote monitoring app daily. “Care coordinators monitor all patients via the app system and if a participant reports outside their threshold, it triggers an alert on the system.” Ms Proposch said the app helped to ease the burden on the acute care system with general practices monitoring these patients, as cases rise in Gippsland. “As the virus is highly contagious, the number of cases in Gippsland is expected to rise and place pressure on the acute system to manage positive cases,” Ms Proposch said. “This initiative will bring comfort to those people who we know may have been anxious that our hospitals would be under pressure from COVID-19 positive patients. “It will also bring comfort from the low-risk patients who require monitoring but don’t need to be in hospital.”