Victoria's COVID commander Jeroen Weimar has praised Greater Bendigo residents for the region's high vaccination rate during a visit to the city today.
Almost fifty per cent of eligible people have had their third booster shot.
Mr Weimar was now encouraging those who have not received their third dose to book in.
"In Bendigo, there are now 4,000 appointments available for third doses and 750 appointments available for 5-11-year-olds in the next 7 days," he explained.
Bendigo Health chair Bob Cameron revealed 14 people from Central Victoria were being treated for COVID-19 in the hospital but it no longer includes any children.
159 COVID-19 patients in the region were also being treated through the hospital-at-home program.
Mr Cameron also said he was hopeful the organisation would be able to talk to the government about removing the Code Brown status, which has prevented staff from taking leave, in the coming weeks.
"At the moment we have 50 staff a day furloughed, and we expect with school going back, that'll bump up but we hope that after that we will then be in a position where we can have a discussion with the Health Department," he said.
Winter is coming
Mr Weimar warned residents not to become complacent, however, as the past two years have seen cases spike in Victoria over the winter months.
The COVID commander also stressed a three vaccination status is likely to soon become a new normal.
"Our expectation in the Victorian Department of Health is we'll be moving into a world where to be fully vaccinated will mean to have three doses."
