The state government has extended the interval time between the first and second dose of the Pfizer vaccine to allow more people to access a first dose.
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Health minister Martin Foley said the changes will take affect from Monday with intervals between the doses extending from three weeks to six weeks.
Mr Foley made the announcement at his media briefing on Saturday morning.
The change only applies to state government-run vaccination clinics.
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"Extending that (interval) increases the number of first doses of Pfizer we can get into as arms of Victorians," Mr Foley said. "As supplies ramp up in weeks and months to come, we will be able to extend that process even more broadly (across the state).
"This change is about making sure we can extend the ring of protection the first dose of the vaccine provides to the largest number of Victorians possible."
Department of Health data released at the weekend showed 35,343 coroanvirus vaccinations were administered on Friday and Saturday. In total, Victoria has administered 1,646,952 COVID-19 vaccinations.
As of July 23, more than 68,000 COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered at the state government-run vaccination centre in Bendigo.
Along with more than 35,343 coronavirus vaccinations, Victoria also saw six new cases of coronavirus recorded at the weekend.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton said the decision to frontload first doses of the Pfizer vaccine and lengthen the intervals was one that had been seen overseas in places such as Canada and the United Kingdom.
"One dose does give strong protection, especially against coroanvirus illness and hospitalisation," he said. "Guidelines recommend the second dose be given between three to six weeks to achieve optimal protection but we have seen other countries safely and effectively use that longer dosing intervals with Pfizer...to allow more people to get the first dose.
"We need to protect the entire community from threat of coronavirus as soon as possible.
"This change only applies to state-run vaccination centres. Commonwealth providers, GPs and Aboriginal community -control health organisations will continue to provide second doses at an interval of 3 weeks.
"Almost everyone who has received their first Pfizer dose has now received their second. We are seeing Victorians coming in good numbers for second doses of Pfizer and Astra Zeneca vaccines."
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