Bendigo UFS Pharmacies are part of the current national COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout and are proud to be part of the program that supports reducing the COVID-19 outbreaks and illness across our community.
Booking your COVID-19 vaccination appointment
Before your vaccination appointment, you should make sure your details are up to date with Medicare.
If you don’t have your account set up, you can:
- enrol in Medicare, if you’re not already enrolled
- set up your Medicare online account if you’re enrolled in Medicare, but don’t have Medicare linked to myGov or
- get an Individual Health Identifier (IHI), if you’re not eligible for Medicare
Your Medicare or IHI will be required to make your appointment – this will make it quicker on the day of your appointment.
Which Bendigo UFS Pharmacies are providing the COVID-19 vaccination?
Appointments are available only at our Health Hub in Hargreaves Street and Maiden Gully locations.
Booking your COVID-19 vaccination appointment
Please call us if you need to confirm what the timing should be between the appointments.
If you need phone or on-site interpreting, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50.
Information about COVID-19 Boosters
All adults can get a booster if it’s been 12 months or longer since their last COVID-19 booster or six months since confirmed COVID-19 infection (whichever comes first). Boosters give extra protection against severe illness from COVID.
Booster doses are not recommended at this time for children and adolescents under 18 years of age who do not have severe immunocompromise.
Refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook for definitions and examples of severe immunocompromise. Your doctor can also help you decide if you or your child meet this definition. If a booster is recommended, a letter from your GP or medical practitioner is required to confirm eligibility.
All vaccines are approved for use in Australia and continue to give strong protection against serious illness from COVID-19. XBB. 1.5-containing vaccines are preferred over other COVID-19 vaccines are preferred for boosters.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends the COVID-19 dose can be co-administered with the influenza vaccine or other vaccines.
Refer here for more information: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/getting-your-vaccination
Bendigo UFS Pharmacies are providing Novavax (Nuvaxovid), Pfizer (Comirnaty) and Pfizer Paediatric boosters. For information on the different vaccines and clinical advice refer to the ATAGI statement here
Following advice from ATAGI from 29 February 2024, the revised booster recommendation is*:
Age | Without severe immunocompromise | With severe immunocompromise |
< 5 years | Not recommended | Not recommended |
5 – 17 years | Not recommended | Can consider every 12 months |
18 – 64 years | Can consider a dose every 12 months | Recommended every 12 months and can consider a dose every 6 months |
65-74 years | Recommended every 12 months and can consider a dose every 6 months | Recommended every 12 months and can consider a dose every 6 months |
> 75 years | Recommended every 6 months | Recommended every 6 months |
Comirnaty (Pfizer Children Monovalent XBB. 1.5) | Comirnaty | Spikevax (Moderna Monovalent XBB. 1.5) | Novavax | |
Recommended dose interval | 8 weeks | 8 weeks | 8 weeks | 3 weeks > 18 years |
Approved dose interval | 3 to 8 weeks | 3 to 8 weeks | 4 to 8 weeks | 3 weeks > 18+ years |
Approved age | 5 to 11 years | 12 years and older | 12 years and over | 12 years and over |
Available at Bendigo UFS Health Hub Vaccination Clinic | Yes (on request only) | Yes | No | No (new stock expected Winter 2024) |
Children’s (paediatric) vaccines
Bendigo UFS Pharmacies is providing the Pfizer (Comirnaty) for children aged 5 years to 11 years on request. Booster doses are available to children who are severely immunocompromised. A letter from a GP or medical practitioner is required to confirm eligibility.
Parents and/or Guardians may wish to have your child sitting on your lap (pictured right) for the vaccination. Your child will feel comforted and supported during the vaccination and in turn reduce nerves.
We suggest you let our friendly Nurse Immuniser know if either parent/guardian or child are feeling nervous so that we can ensure you feel as comfortable as possible.
Image source: https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/resources/handbook-figures/figure-positioning-a-child-in-the-straddle-position
Getting ready for your appointment on the day
You will receive an email and text message reminder up to 48 hours before your appointment.
Please do not come to your vaccination appointment if you are feeling unwell.
If you cannot make it to your vaccination appointment, please contact us to arrange a new appointment.
Supporting information
You can also read this patient factsheet developed by the Australian Government Department of Health: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/getting-your-vaccination
Information for persons whom are immunocompromised are encouraged to read here: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/atagi-recommendations-on-the-use-of-a-third-primary-dose-of-covid-19-vaccine-in-individuals-who-are-severely-immunocompromised
How to contact us
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 03 5442 0444
Open hours:
Hargreaves Street Health Hub: Tuesday to Friday 9.00am until 5.00pm and Saturday 9.00am until 1.00pm
Maiden Gully Pharmacy: COVID vaccination available Fridays from 10:00am to 3:30pm.
Frequently asked COVID-19 vaccination questions
Use the Department of Health’s Eligibility Checker to see when you can book your vaccine: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-booster-eligibility-checker
The most commonly reported side effects from COVID-19 vaccines are headache, aches and pains, fever, and tenderness at the site of injection. These side effects are typical of many vaccines, and usually, last only a day or two. Investigation is continuing into rare side effects of COVID-19 vaccines.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s safety monitoring team of doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and scientists are closely monitoring any reported side effects from the vaccine to investigate any safety issues.
Speak to our team of pharmacists and nurses if you have concerns about the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines.
For most people with existing health conditions, receiving a COVID-19 vaccine is still recommended. Speak with your doctor to find out what’s right for you.
The COVID-19 vaccine may not stop you from ever getting COVID-19, however the vaccines have been shown to be effective at stopping people from becoming very ill or dying if they catch COVID-19.
COVID-19 vaccines help the body recognise and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. They do not contain COVID-19 and you cannot get COVID-19 from having the vaccine.
Our nurses and pharmacists are administering the COVID-19 vaccinations and have completed extensive training regarding general vaccinations, as well as specific training for COVID-19 vaccinations.
No. The COVID-19 vaccine is free to everyone in Australia whether a resident or not.
You will receive your vaccine in a safe, private space within our pharmacy. We pride ourselves on providing this space allowing you to feel comfortable and ask any questions that you may have.
Appointments do book out and you may need to look at an appropriate time in coming weeks but we do offer a waitlist option. We recommend you do book an appointment even if it’s some time away and if there is a cancellation, we’ll contact you to check your availability.
We welcome you to further research the vaccination and the virus if you wish. A great reputable resource to view is healthdirect.gov.au/coronavirus.
Although there is minimal benefit from having a COVID-19 vaccine dose soon after infection, it is challenging for many individuals to know if they have had a recent infection. In these circumstances it is appropriate to proceed with a further dose where recommended. Vaccination is likely to enhance the protection induced by infection. A greater interval between infection and vaccination (ie. 6 months or 3 months for those severely immunocompromised) enhances the protection from vaccination by further boosting the immune response generated following infection
Last updated 17 May 2024
