COVID-19 Community Information
This page was last updated on 1 October 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
Victoria's Roadmap: Delivering the National Plan
The Victorian Government has released a roadmap to opening by outlining the easing of restrictions in stages for metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
The dates outlined in the roadmap are based on the vaccination rates meeting projected targets. All Victorians have a part to play and we encourage everyone to get vaccinated.
The 9pm to 5am curfew remains in place until 26 October 2021, however this could change depending on vaccination rates and public health advice at that time.
The roadmap is subject to change and the dates are indicative only. Visit the coronavirus website for more information about Victoria’s Roadmap: Delivering the National Plan.
Current restrictions
A curfew is in place from 9pm to 5am. During curfew hours there are limited reasons to leave your home, which include:
- Health and medical purposes.
- Care and support of a child or someone with special needs.
- Travelling for work if you are an authorised worker (you must carry your permit and photographic identification).
- In an emergency or to escape harm.
Outside of the curfew hours there are only five permitted reasons to leave home:
- Shopping for food and supplies within 15kms of home.
- Authorised work and study if it can't be done from home.
- Care and caregiving.
- Exercise within 15kms of home.
- Getting vaccinated.
Wearing of masks indoors and outdoors is mandatory when you leave your home.
Footscray Town Hall, Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre, and Council run libraries and community centres will all remain closed until further notice.
For further details about current restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria visit the coronavirus website.
How far is 15kms from your home?
Enter your address into the map to work out how far 15kms is from your home.
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. You can find Mari-bot in the bottom right hand corner of your screen.
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 an online live chat. You can even ask Mari-bot to translate the online live chat into your preferred language.
Please note the live chat option is only available 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, except public holidays.
Exposure sites
New exposure sites are being identified each day, so please keep an eye on the Coronavirus website for the latest exposure sites and advice.
The Department of Health has confirmed a number of exposure sites in Melbourne and a list of exposure sites can be found at 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.
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:
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
|