Melbourne Gays Get A Good Jab: Pop-Up Vaccine Clinics Open For LGBTQIA+ Communities
New ‘Fab Jab’ pop-up clinics are opening in Victoria offering a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community in Melbourne to get vaccinated, reports SBS News.
Rainbow Vaccination Week
Included as part of Rainbow Vaccination Week, dedicated LGBTQIA-friendly pop-ups have been offered to those who wish to access the vaccine in a safe space. The Victorian Pride Centre will host a vaccine hub until this Sunday, October 24. Cohealth on Drummond Street will also be holding LGBT-friendly days on Thursday and Friday, and another pop-up at the Preston Health Centre is opening on Thursday.
Cohealth released a statement saying, “People who are trans and gender diverse might have had previous traumatic experiences in medical or clinical settings, including dead naming and misgendering”, reports The Canberra Times.
Furthermore, the #FabJab campaign has been started online to offer informational resources to LGBTQIA+ people and encourage them to seek out clinics and pop-ups where they can safely access a COVID-19 vaccine.
Australia’s Vaccine Progress
According to the Australian Department of Health, Australia’s vaccine numbers sit at 69.2% of people aged 16 and over having had both jabs. These statistics lend themselves to the Federal governments plan to have 80% of the population inoculated by December, 2021. Under Operation Covid Shield, to achieve their vaccination goals the total vaccinated population must hit 70% in November, reports The Guardian.
As we near the latter half of the year, attention has been turned towards those who may be struggling to go and get their vaccines. To remedy this situation, a further $21 million AUD has been provided to help aid certain communities. According to SBS News, disabled individuals, culturally diverse communities and survivors of domestic violence are included amongst those who the new funding aims to help.
