Visiting Hours: Maryborough Hospital 10am-6pm, 7 days / Aged Care - visitors welcome, no set hours

COVID Clinic

Get vaccinated to protect our community

COVID-19 updates

As we continue to live with COVID-19, there are important steps we can take to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect yourself and those who are most at risk.

We need to continue to remain vigilant in responding as a community to minimise the spread, and ensure infections are detected and contained quickly.

The delta and omicron strains are very infectious, and new variants are continuously emerging.

There are things we can all do to make ourselves and others safer as we live and work. Find out more on COVIDSafe principles.

This page provides general information on testing and vaccination services.

Staying up-to-date with your vaccinations against COVID-19 helps prevent you from getting seriously ill and reduces the spread of COVID-19 to others.

You should get tested using a rapid antigen test if you have symptoms of COVID-19, or have been informed you have been in contact with someone with COVID-19.

Find out more below, noting that we are not running a COVID-19 testing clinic or vaccination clinic at this time. Our services are scaled up and down in response to public health directions.

For more information on managing COVID-19 in Victoria visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

Quick links

Find out what to do if you:

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COVID testing

It is important to get tested if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or if you have been informed you are a contact of someone with COVID-19.

Read the COVID Checklist to work out what to do if you test positive and need to report your result, or have been told you are a contact.

To get tested, everyone’s first option should be to use a rapid antigen test (RAT).

They are fast, accurate, and readily available from local pharmacies, supermarkets and convenience stores.

Maryborough District Health Service (MDHS) can provide rapid antigen tests to people with COVID-19 symptoms, or designated close contacts.

You can pick up rapid antigen tests from the main entrance at Maryborough Hospital from 10.00am to 11.00am on weekdays.

Please wear a mask on entry and bring your Medicare Card. Test limits apply.

If you test positive for COVID-19, please treat your result as confirmed. You must legally report a positive result as soon as possible. This will link you to the appropriate care if needed.

If you have symptoms or you are a household contact or close contact, and can’t access a rapid antigen test, you can get a PCR test at another site in accordance with PCR testing guidelines.

If you have symptoms and can’t get access to a test straight away, stay at home and isolate until you can. Please don’t go to your GP or to the Urgent Care Centre.

Testing clinic update

The COVID-19 testing clinic on Florence Lane in Maryborough is now closed as Victoria’s mass PCR testing program has been scaled back.

MDHS is still supplying rapid antigen tests to people with COVID-19 symptoms, or designated close contacts.

Pick up rapid antigen tests from the main entrance at Maryborough Hospital from 10.00am to 11.00am on weekdays. Wear a mask and bring your Medicare Card. Limits apply.

PCR testing is still available for Victorians with COVID-19 symptoms in accordance with PCR testing guidelines.  People at high risk of severe illness and other at-risk groups will have their PCR tests prioritised.

PCR testing sites are located in Ballarat or Bendigo. To find out where to get tested visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au/get-pcr-test-covid-19.

Call-to-Test Service

Some vulnerable members of the community can access a Call-to-Test service at home if they are unable to leave due to the following reasons:

  • People with an injury, chronic health issue, or facility affecting mobility
  • people with moderate to severe physical or psychosocial disability
  • people with moderate to severe mental health or behavioural issues not otherwise classified as a psychosocial disability
  • carers for a person with moderate to severe disability.

To book this free service, please call the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 and select option 6, then option 5 to see if you are eligible.

COVID-19 Vaccination

Everyone plays a part in reducing the spread of COVID-19. Getting vaccinated protects you against COVID-19, helps prevent you from getting seriously ill and reduces the spread of COVID-19 to others.

COVID-19 vaccines are available free for everyone aged five (5) years and over at pharmacies and GPs.

Note the Community Vaccination Hub in Maryborough, run in partnership with Central Goldfields Shire Council and local GPs, is now closed.

Some larger state-run centres such as Ballarat Health Service are still open, and Bendigo Health has transitioned to an outreach model.

To find out more about vaccines, eligibility, where to get vaccinated and how to book an appointment visit get vaccinated, or follow the quick links below.

Please do not attend a vaccination clinic if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

Eligibility

The vaccine is delivered according to the Victorian Government’s Department of Health recommendations. There are four vaccines approved for use in Australia. The type of vaccine you can have might depend on your age and, in some cases, whether you have certain medical conditions.

AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) is available to those aged 18 and over.
Pfizer (Comirnaty) is available to those aged 12 and over.
Moderna (Spikevax) is available to those aged 12 and over.

Novavax (Nuvaxovid) is available to those aged 18 and over.

Children

Children aged 5 can get the Pfizer vaccine, and children aged 6 to 11 can get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. They will receive a smaller dose for their age group.

Children aged between 6 months and under 5 years who are at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 are recommended a paediatric formulation of the Moderna vaccine.

Third dose

A third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for anyone aged 16 and over, who had their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine three or more months ago.

A COVID-19 booster dose will help prevent loss of immunity against COVID-19, which can wane over time.

Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax vaccines are approved for use as a third dose in people aged 18 years and over, regardless of which vaccine was received for the initial doses.

People aged 16 to 17 will receive the Pfizer vaccine as their third dose.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is only recommended for use as a third dose if you have had a significant adverse reaction to a previous mRNA vaccine dose.

Talk to your GP if you’re not sure which third dose you’re eligible for.

If you are severely immunocompromised a third primary dose is recommended 2 months after the 2nd dose. Read the recommendations.

To find out more information on which vaccine or booster you can receive visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

Boosters

A fourth dose (winter dose) is recommended for priority groups to help reduce severe illness from COVID-19. A winter dose is now available to:

  • adults aged 50 years and above
  • adults aged 30 and above (optional)
  • people aged 16 years and above who are severely immunocompromised
  • residents of aged care or disability care facilities
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and above
  • people aged 16 years and above who have a medical condition that increases the risk of severe COVID-19 illness
  • people aged 16 years and above who have disabilities with significant, complex, or multiple health issues, which increase the risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19 infection

Eligible people can receive their winter dose 3 months after receiving their third dose or after having COVID-19 if an infection occurred since the person’s third dose.

To find out more about vaccines, eligibility, where to get vaccinated and how to book an appointment visit get vaccinated.