COVID-19 Community Information

This page was last updated on 27 July 2021.

The health and wellbeing of our community is our priority.  Below you will find information relating to Council's ongoing response to COVID-19.

On this page you will find information about:

Council's essential services

During lockdown periods Council will continue to deliver essential services.

Immunisation Appointments

Face to face immunisation appointments will continue during the lockdown.

Everyone attending these appointments must:

  • be in good health and not be displaying any known symptoms of COVID-19.
  • wear a fitted face mask for the duration of the appointment.
  • register via the QR code before access to the building is granted.
  • not have been deemed a close personal contact of a person with COVID-19.
  • not have visited an exposure site.

When attending appointments at the Footscray Town Hall attendees will be required to press a buzzer at the entrance before access is granted.

 Appointments are available at the following locations:

Day
 Location

Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday

Footscray Town Hall
Community Services Building
61 Napier Street, Footscray

Thursday

Braybrook Community Hub
107 - 139 Churchill Avenue, Braybrook

Friday

CLOSED

To make an appointment:

Maternal and Child Health Appointments

All Maternal and Child Health appointments will continue to be held face to face.  If you would prefer a telehealth appointment please phone 9688 0501.  Group bookings will take place via telehealth.

In our ongoing response to COVID-19, we encourage only one parent to accompany children when attending appointments and the wearing of a fitted face mask is mandatory.

To locate your nearest Maternal and Child Health Centre visit our children's services in Maribyrnong page

To book an appointment phone 9688 0501 or submit a request for an appointment online

Current restrictions

The Premier announced that the lockdown will be lifted state-wide at 11.59pm on Tuesday 27 July 2021.

Victorians will be able to leave their homes for any reason.

Public gatherings will be allowed with up to 10 people, with infants under 12 months not included in the cap. However, gatherings in the home are still not permitted.

Masks will continue to be required everywhere indoors and outdoors (except private residences), unless an exception applies.

For more information about the restrictions, visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au

Exposure sites

The Department of Health has confirmed a number of exposure sites in Melbourne.  For a list of exposure sites visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites

Anyone who has visited any of the exposure sites must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from the exposure.

Getting tested

To find your nearest testing site and to view wait times visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/where-get-tested-covid-19

To assist with the collection of information prior to being tested, it is now recommended that you register via the above link, if possible, prior to attending a test site.

Getting vaccinated

To find your nearest vaccination centre visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au. To make an appointment contact the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398.

More information

For the latest information about COVID-19 visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au or www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus.  Council monitors these websites which help inform the information made available via this webpage.

Contacting Council during lockdowns

During lockdowns you can continue to communicate with us in the following ways:

After hours assistance

For after hours assistance please call 9688 0200.  After hours assistance can only be provided for matters that are directly related to Council services or functions.

Have you met Mari-bot?

Mari-bot is our virtual Customer Service Officer that you can interact with to help find the information you are looking for on our website.

Mari-bot will ask you about your enquiry and then direct you through to the information you need.  If Marib-bot isn't able to find exactly what you are looking for you can simply ask Mari-bot to direct you to a Customer Service team member for a online live chat.  You can even ask Mari-bot to translate the online live chat into numerous languages.

Please note the live chat option is only available 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, except public holidays.

COVID-19 community response line

If you have been directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have established a dedicated support service that you can access free of charge.

To access our free COVID-19 community response line phone 9688 0434 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

For all other Council related enquiries please call our Customer Service team on 9688 0200 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday except public holidays.

Do you live in metropolitan Melbourne or regional Victoria?

If you live in one of the following local government areas (council or shire) you are considered to live in metropolitan Melbourne for the purposes of COVID-19 restrictions:

  • Banyule
  • Bayside
  • Boroondara
  • Brimbank
  • Cardinia
  • Casey
  • Darebin
  • Frankston
  • Glen Eira
  • Greater Dandenong
  • Hobsons Bay
  • Hume
  • Kingston
  • Knox
  • Manningham
  • Maribyrnong
  • Maroondah
  • Melbourne
  • Melton
  • Monash
  • Moonee Valley
  • Moreland
  • Mornington Peninsula
  • Nillumbik
  • Port Phillip
  • Stonnington
  • Whitehorse
  • Whittlesea
  • Wyndham (except Little River)
  • Yarra
  • Yarra Ranges.

All other local government areas are considered regional Victoria for the purposes of COVID-19 restrictions.

Testing sites

To locate your nearest testing site please visit the DHHS website.

New testing sites and hours of operation are regularly updated so we recommend, where possible, contacting the testing site before attending.

You can also view waiting times at various testing sites via the DHHS website to assist in choosing the testing site that's right for you.

COVID-19 financial hardship

To support those in our community directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Council has developed a COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy.

If you are experiencing financial hardship please read the policy to find out what support is available to you.

For more information about the Policy visit our COVID-19 Financial Hardship webpage.  If you would like to discuss the options available to suit your individual circumstances contact us on 9688 0200.

Maternal and child health appointments

All Maternal and Child Health appointments will continue to be held face to face.  If you would prefer a telehealth appointment please phone 9688 0501.  Group bookings will take place via telehealth.

In our ongoing response to COVID-19, we encourage only one parent to accompany children when attending appointments and the wearing of a fitted face mask is mandatory.

To locate your nearest Maternal and Child Health Centre visit our children's services in Maribyrnong page

To book an appointment phone 9688 0501 or submit a request for an appointment online

    Immunisation appointments

    Face to face immunisation appointments will continue during the lockdown.

    Everyone attending these appointments must:

    • be in good health and not be displaying any known symptoms of COVID-19.
    • wear a fitted face mask for the duration of the appointment.
    • register via the QR code before access to the building is granted.
    • not have been deemed a close personal contact of a person with COVID-19.
    • not have visited an exposure site.

    When attending appointments at the Footscray Town Hall attendees will be required to press a buzzer at the entrance before access is granted.

     Appointments are available at the following locations:

    Day
    		 Location

    Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday

    Footscray Town Hall
    Community Services Building
    61 Napier Street, Footscray

    Thursday

    Braybrook Community Hub
    107 - 139 Churchill Avenue, Braybrook

    Friday

    CLOSED

    To make an appointment:

    Attendance at Council meetings

    Council and Committee meetings continue as scheduled however, public access is via our live stream service.

    Subscribe to Council’s YouTube channel where you can access past recordings of Council meetings.

    Members of the public can submit questions for public question time online.  Questions must be submitted before 12pm on the day of the meeting.  For more information or to submit a question please visit our public question time page.

    Visit our Council meetings agendas and minutes webpage for meeting documentation and to view the schedule of dates for 2021.

    Where to get support and assistance

    There are many organisations providing support and assistance to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Below is a list of some local support services that you can reach out to if you are finding it difficult during this time.

    Food and material aid

    Organisation
    		 Description
    		 Contact
    Wesley Outreach

    Food parcels are available by appointment only. No Interest Loans (NILS) Service is available by phone assessment only.

    		 9689 3515

    St Vincent de Paul Sou Van

    If you are looking for assistance with food, a designated call centre has been established to take your calls. Over the phone, St Vincent de Paul will determine your situation and make a personal arrangement of how they can reach you with these essentials.

    1800 305 330

    Monday–Friday 10am to 3pm
    Salvation Army

    The Salvation Army is providing takeaway only services for community meals from its Sunshine office at 42 Devonshire Rd, Sunshine. Arrive at 6pm and a take away meal will be provided.

    		 9364 9335

    Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

    The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre continues to offer Foodbank and community meals.

    9326 6066

     

    Housing services

    Organisation Description Contact

    Unison Housing

    Provides Intake Assessment and Planning (IAP) Services for the western region. Unison is operating as normal through phone contact only.

    9689 2777

    Launch Housing

    Launch Housing’s mobile outreach teams, crisis centres and other services continue to help people experiencing homelessness.

    1800 825 955

     

    Counselling services

    Organisation Description
    		 Contact

    cohealth

    cohealth is providing an online counselling service.

    9448 5502

    Orygen Youth Health

    Specialist mental health services for young people aged 15 to 24.

    9966 9100

     

    Family violence support

    Organisation Description
    		 Contact

    Women’s Health West

    Women’s Health West is continuing to deliver essential services to women and children who experience family violence. They also continue to follow up Victoria Police referrals following incidents of family violence.

    9689 9588
    (9am to 5pm)

    1800 015 188
    (all other hours)

     

    Other support services

    Service Description
    		 Contact

    Emergency relief packages

    Working with Red Cross and Foodbank, Council is redeploying staff to assist with the delivery of emergency relief packages to people in mandatory self-isolation, who have little or no food, and no network of family and friends to support them.

    1800 675 398
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