Colac, Warrnambool meat workers receive coronavirus jab

Midfield Meat's boss Dean McKenna confirmed about 250 workers had been vaccinated on Monday and Tuesday.

But he said the AstraZeneca doses had since been put on hold after two-thirds of those vaccinated reported side effects, including flu-like symptoms.

"People were crook with side effects, which were expected, but we had two-thirds of our employees down as a result and it created a bit of angst amongst the workforce," he said.

"We felt we had a responsibility to err on the side of caution so we will wait to receive more information and will resume as soon as we are confident to do so."

Mr McKenna said those workers had since recovered.

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It is not uncommon for people to experience minor side effects following vaccinations.

Common reactions include pain, redness and/or swelling where the needle was received, a mild fever and a head ache.

Most side effects last no more than a couple of days and the federal government insists the vaccines approved in Australia are safe.

In Colac, more than 50 Australian Lamb Company workers received their vaccinations this week.

It comes after 80 coronavirus cases were linked to an outbreak at the abattoir at the height of the pandemic in July last year.

The cluster led Midfields to temporarily close its doors after a Colac meat inspector who tested positive to the virus visited the Warrnambool abattoir site.

There were no positive cases recorded at Midfield.

The meat processing sector has been listed as "high risk" and workers are included in Phase 1b, the second stage of the federal government's National Rollout Strategy of the vaccine.

South-west GP clinics will begin offering the AstraZeneca doses from Monday to people eligible in the 1b phase.

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