Five Mandurah medical centres in phase 1b of COVID vaccination program

Halls Head Respiratory Clinic, Mandurah Medical Centre, Shalom Medical Centre, The Bridge Family Practice, Jupiter Health Lakelands join more than 1,000 general practices across the country to be offering the vaccine as part of phase 1b of the rollout.

That number is expected to increase to 4,000 by the end of April.

No clinics in Pinjarra, Waroona, Dwellingup or Boddington are included in the new rollout.

Many elderly residents reached out to the Mail frustrated that there were no vaccines for Mandurah and the Peel in the initial rollout - despite the city having WA's highest number of residents over the age of 70.

Madora Bay woman Melinda Hughes said her mother was one of the many in Mandurah aged care homes who "seemed to have been forgotten".

"Considering our large aged population, I mistakenly assumed this was going to be a priority," Ms Hughes said.

"After the horrendous year of lockdowns for those in aged care, this vaccine is vital. Where is our local federal member? Surely Andrew Hastie should be speaking out on their behalf? The rollout of 1a is far from complete, in Mandurah it has not even started."

About 200,000 residents across Australia were vaccinated by the end of Tuesday as part of phase 1a.

A poll by the Mandurah Mail shows just 60 per cent of Peel residents say they will get the vaccine when it's available to them.

Another 30 per cent say they will refuse while 10 per cent are unsure.

The Department of Health has reported two new cases of COVID-19 on Friday.

The new cases are two males in their 30s who have returned from overseas travel and are currently in hotel quarantine.

The State's total number of confirmed cases now stands at 929. WA Health is monitoring 12 active cases of COVID-19 and 908 people have recovered from the virus in WA. To date, 28,134 West Australians have received the COVID vaccine.

Two people have suffered allergic reactions after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine in WA, it was revealed on Wednesday.

One person had just had the Pfizer vaccine, while the other had received the AstraZeneca jab.

State chief health officer Andrew Robertson said the incidents had been reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

"Both have a history of previous allergic reactions and both individuals responded well to a single dose of adrenaline and recovered under observation without further incident," Dr Robertson said in a statement.

It comes after Queensland health authorities advised people with a history of serious allergic reactions to hold off getting the jab after four people suffered bad reactions after getting the vaccine in the past 48 hours.

Phase 1b includes vulnerable groups, such as older people and people with certain underlying medical conditions.

Federal health minister Greg Hunt said the new rollout would align with the supply of the locally produced AstraZeneca vaccine, and as more vaccine becomes available more services will come online.

Australians eligible for phase 1b will be able to find a vaccination provider through the new national vaccination information and location service, at the Department of Health website.

People can locate their nearest general practice providing the vaccinations and link through to their online booking system or phone number to make the appointment.

"General practices will play a major role in ensuring all Australians who seek to be vaccinated have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines," Mr Hunt said.

"Appointments on the service finder will increase as general practices establish their systems and vaccine supply. More appointments will become available as more clinics come on-board.

"People will still be able to book their vaccine appointments directly at a participating general practice - as they do now, for instance, to get a seasonal flu vaccine.

As the rollout moves into Phase two, additional general practices and selected community pharmacists would also participate in the program.

"No-one will miss out, whether they live in a city or country town or a very remote area," Mr Hunt said.

"Vaccines are the game changer in our fight against the COVID-19 virus and I urge everyone in Australia to come forward and get vaccinated when they are able to."

Mr Hunt said there would be six million Australians in phase 1b, and "not all will be able to be vaccinated immediately".

"We recognise that every Australian will have the opportunity to be vaccinated over the coming months and we thank you for your patience."

Where do I go and how do I book in?

Go to Department of Health website. Using the Eligibility Checker, you can find out which phase of the rollout you are in. If you are eligible, you will be able to view vaccination clinics and book an appointment online or via phone. If you are not yet eligible, you will be able to register your interest so that you can be notified when you are able to book.

If you prefer not to use the online option, you can call the National Coronavirus and COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 1800 020 080.

Will I be able to choose where I can book?

You will be able to view and select clinic locations based on the postcode you enter.

What happens if there are no clinics or appointments in my area?

A list of Commonwealth vaccination clinics, participating General Practices, and state and territory vaccination clinics will be made available as they come online.

Do I have to use the Eligibility Checker in order to book?

The checker is a helpful tool to help you find out if you are currently eligible to book.

The checker will guide you through to a simple way to find and book vaccine appointments, or help you register to be notified if you are part of a later phase. If you prefer to book appointments directly at a participating general practice or Commonwealth state vaccination clinic, you can contact them directly to do so.