Vaccination blitz for Victorians with a disability begins

The Victorian Government's $5 million COVID-19 vaccination blitz for residents with a disability begins today.

Residents with a disability will be able to receive a jab at all state-run vaccination centres without a booking.

Ten new vaccination pop-up hubs will also be launched to speed up vaccination rates for Victorians living with a disability.

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The Victorian Government hopes the campaign will lift vaccination rates among disabled people.

Ageing and Disability Minister Luke Donnellan said as of September 30, about 71 per cent of the state's National Disability Insurance Scheme participants aged over 16 had received their first dose of a vaccine.

While the figure was slightly higher than the national average of 67 per cent, it was lower than Victoria's general population at 84 per cent.

"Vaccination rates in Victorians living with a disability are still lower than the general population," Mr Donnellan said yesterday.

"We have to keep pushing through."

The state government is also working with hearing, autism and other disability partners to create vaccine ambassadors.

Former travel writer Martin, who was left a quadriplegic ten years ago after a car accident, said people with disabilities were more at-risk of getting COVID-19.

"I think it's even more important for people with disability to get vaccinated because we're much more likely to be in contact with other people with disability," he said.

Victoria yesterday recorded 1638 new coronavirus cases and two deaths.