Ms VAGHELA (Western Metropolitan):
Mr President, I take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank many frontline health workers, including our doctors and nurses, who each day work to fight this pandemic, often by putting their own lives at risk to save the lives of others. Like the majority of Victorians, Mr President, I have done my part. I have received both doses of AstraZeneca vaccination. Getting vaccinated is the only way out of this pandemic.
The west has done a fantastic job in getting vaccinated at a fast pace. I strongly encourage all Victorians, including residents of Western Metropolitan Region, to get vaccinated at their earliest opportunity. My husband and I have lost three family members to this pandemic and our heart is still grieving their losses. We know that a great majority of hospitalised COVID cases in Victoria are unfortunately people who have not been vaccinated. We have heard firsthand from nurses in charge in ICUs, on the regret that many patients and families have for not getting vaccinated.
I thank each and every resident in Western Metropolitan Region who has done the right thing and received their vaccination before it is too late. There are many vaccinations available now.
I wish to thank our community and faith group leaders for taking a leadership role in facilitating pop-up vaccination centres to assist with the delivery of the vaccines. There are too many of them in Western Metropolitan Region for me to name individually.
I also take this opportunity to thank all staff at Western Health and Werribee Mercy Hospital for working around the clock to support our community.