The rapidly booked-out vaccination clinic run by WHCG is struggling to keep up with the growing number of phone calls.

As of Monday, June 14, the vaccination clinic on McLachlan Street in Horsham is unable to take any further bookings for the Pfizer vaccine for the rest of the week.

Despite undergoing improvements, the call line is overwhelmed.

Western Sub-Hub Project Officer Genevieve Lilley said it had not been a completely smooth run in getting the clinic and booking systems open.

IN OTHER NEWS:

"We have just been ironing out some glitches with the call centre but hopefully it's working now and they will have the right information to get people booked in," she said.

"It has had problems though so we are prepared for things to go awry, it is just the way everything seems to go with COVID-19. If our info doesn't come together on the call centre, we may open for drop-ins."

Ms Lilley said the best way to get updates is via the Wimmera Health Care Group's Facebook page.

"As we only moved into the clinic on Friday, June 11, we are still actually getting our phone lines installed and we have had some technology glitches today, so unfortunately it is still hard to reach us, but we will do our best to make ourselves available to the public who have queries about vaccines as soon as we can," she said.

"Once we have settled into the clinic and got all our systems in place, we will be able to upscale the clinic.

"Our biggest day so far has been about 130 people but we should be able to do this regularly in the future when we're in full swing."

Ms Lilley said many of the questions have come from people concerned about the vaccine, so the staff at WHCG and the clinic are helping give out a lot of information and reassurance.

"The most common question is from people who are eligible for AstraZenca vaccine but want to get the Pfizer vaccine," she said.

"Unfortunately we are unable to give the vaccines outside the very strict guidelines."

Ms Lilley also wanted to assure people they do not have a shortage of vaccine.

READ MORE:

She said people with concerns should speak to their GPs.

"We've delivered information to all the GPs and specialists who visit Horsham to encourage them to give advice that is consistent with the directives of the experts who have developed the guidelines," she said.

"There are very few conditions that make your risk of clots higher with the AstraZeneca vaccine, but a lot of people are very anxious about it. Very common conditions, such as a history of clots like DVT, heart disease, diabetes, or even other clotting disorders, have not increased the risk, and we have seen that across the world, so we are encouraging people to get vaccinated ASAP because their risk is the same as everyone else their age.

"COVID-19 infection, on the other hand, is extremely dangerous for people who have other chronic diseases."

WHCG held a one-day clinic at O'Brien Lane Day Centre on Wednesday, June 9, which saw 80 people vaccinated.

"The one day clinic at the Day Centre was something we were able to plan at very short notice to try and give any health workers who are still unvaccinated a chance to pop in and get their vaccine," she said.

"We were able to vaccinate over 80 people in a morning which was pretty efficient. No one had to be turned away, and I don't think anyone waited for more than an hour."

For updates, visit the Wimmera Health Care Groups Facebook page.

Vaccine bookings can be made via the Victorian booking phone line on 1800 675 398.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: