BY GABRIELLA HOLLO AND SARAH ARTURI

The race for Victoria to achieve a 70 per cent vaccination rate has begun, as the state received thousands of new Pfizer doses, providing clarity for its roadmap to freedom. 

In light of the announcement to extend the state’s sixth lockdown, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews stated residents will experience eased restrictions once the desired first-dose vaccination rate is reached. 

This will include extending the five kilometre travel restriction to 10 kilometres and allowing an extra hour of outdoor exercise, as the government undergoes further planning for Victoria’s future of living with COVID-19. 

From Monday August 30, people aged 16-39 were given the green light to book their Pfizer appointment after months of little indication on when Victoria’s vaccination program would be expanded to a younger age group. 

The online booking portal was inundated on the morning of August 25, after an additional 830,000 vaccination appointments opened up to eligible Victorians.

Many were left frustrated when the site experienced technical difficulties, due to overwhelming demand. More than 1.3 million people contacted the call centre and just 95,000 people were able to secure a booking by 4pm on the day the appointments opened.

Niddrie GP Sam Zagarella said he was “very thankful” for the turnout by young Victorians who took the initiative to get vaccinated.

“The thing with young people is most had already made up their mind to [willingly get the vaccine] because they have been waiting to get it for so long,” Dr Zagarella said.

Whilst almost all Pfizer appointments have been filled, Dr Zagarella urged those who were apprehensive to get their first jab to speak to a trusted and qualified medical practitioner. 

"Being unvaccinated means there is a personal risk of contracting COVID.

"A community risk, as they have a greater risk of transmission to others who may not be able to be vaccinated, such as the very young or those immune-compromised, and also a posed healthcare burden on our already stretched system.

“We’re a community, so we need to do the right thing to protect each other.” 

Monash University student Millie Chambers fell into the 16 - 39 age bracket and was keen to get her Pfizer shot. 

Ms Chambers said she was comfortable receiving either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine, but was glad the eligibility criteria for Pfizer opened to her age group.

“The way AstraZeneca was portrayed in the media really scared a lot of people, so I think that’s why I’m more confident in getting the Pfizer vaccine,” Ms Chambers said. 

“At the end of the day, I want to feel safe and be able to see people in my life that may be at risk of catching the virus,” she said. 

Thea Toogood, 20, received the AstraZeneca vaccine one month prior to the Victorian government’s announcement allowing 16-39 year olds to book their Pfizer jab.  

Having experienced no symptoms with AstraZeneca, Ms Toogood said the fact she was “unsure” about when Pfizer would be made available to her age group prompted her to take the alternative vaccine. 

“Outbreaks were getting close to home so that encouraged me a bit more to go get vaccinated ASAP and not wait around for Pfizer,” she said. 

For Ms Toogood, the decision to get any sort of vaccine as soon as possible will allow her to fulfil future travel plans, as vaccination travel passports become the new reality for overseas visits.

So far, 1,605,718 Victorians have had their first vaccination, and 877,675 people have received both doses. 

“I was happy to get either of the vaccines, and I just went with AstraZeneca because that’s the only one I could get at the time,” Ms Toogood said.