The COVID-19 vaccination rollout was finally completed at Shepparton Villages today, as the local aged care organisation's facilities entered another lockdown midnight Thursday.
Until midnight, June 3, all aged care homes will be closed to visitors except for end-of-life reasons.
Shepparton Villages chief executive Veronica Jamison said residents and staff were battling feelings of "uncertainty and concern" as the lockdown began.
But she added this lockdown would be "a little different" compared to previous experiences.
“While visitors can't enter the homes, people living in our homes can leave for the same reasons you and I can leave our homes,” she said.
“So they can leave for a medical appointment or to get supplies – and that's a really good thing.
“They can also go out for exercise, and that would allow for somebody's loved one to come and take them for a walk.”
Residents will be screened on their return to facilities.
“Please be assured we are putting the health and wellbeing of people's loved ones first and foremost in everything we're doing here,” Ms Jamison said.
This comes as the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was finally delivered to all Shepparton Villages facilities in recent days, after a lengthy 12-week wait due to the Commonwealth's sluggish rollout to private aged care and disability services.
Between May 18-20, the jab was administered to consenting residents at all Shepparton Villages facilities except Hakea Lodge.
At Maculata Place, 93 per cent of its 109 residents were vaccinated and Banksia Lodge wasn't far behind, with 90 per cent of 65 residents receiving the jab.
At Mooroopna Place, about 40 residents were immunised – more than half.
Ms Jamison believed these lower vaccination numbers could be due to Mooroopna Place being a new home.
“A number of current residents weren't living in residential care in the last lockdown, and hadn't experienced that,” she said.
Hakea Lodge was initially set to be immunised on May 19, but was pulled last-minute due to an external "bureaucratic bungle".
But on Friday, May 28, consenting residents finally received the vaccine, with 38 of the home's 42 residents rolling up their sleeves for the shot.
This came on the same day federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced all remaining aged care facilities would be offered the jab by the end of the day, following criticism the Commonwealth rollout was neglecting the nation's most vulnerable.
Shepparton Villages staff also have the option to be vaccinated through Goulburn Valley Health's vaccine hub at the McIntosh Centre.
Ms Jamison said Shepparton Villages didn't know what percentage of its almost 500 staff had been immunised to date.
“It's people's personal business,” she said.
“But we're noticing that staff who haven't been vaccinated are now rushing to get vaccinated.”