Vaccination brings us one step closer to getting out of lockdown.

74% of residents in Yarra have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Just over half are fully vaccinated.

To help support those who may be nervous about the vaccine, Yarra City Council will be hosting an online community forum on Thursday 14 October.

We know the community have questions and this forum will provide answers from trustworthy sources. You will be able to ask questions and learn more about AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer.

Register now through Eventbrite for the session at 12 midday or 7.30pm.

Meet the moderator

Jon Faine

Lawyer, broadcaster, writer, MC and public speaker.

Until October 2019, Jon Faine spent 20 years as the host of the agenda-setting morning broadcast for ABC Radio in Melbourne. Jon has also worked in both commercial litigation and as a legal aid and human rights advocate, He practised for 7 years before joining the ABC in 1989 to host ‘The Law Report’ on Radio National.

Countless conference presentations, panel moderations, MC duties, guest lectures and public events complement his legal and media career. Add to that a bestselling travel book, several oral history publications, multiple opinion and commentary pieces for major newspapers, regular TV appearances and guest radio spots, as well as being script advisor for several films completes his diverse career.

Meet the speakers

Dr Simon Slota-Kan

MD and public health physician at Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service (PAMS)

Dr Simon Slota-Kan is a public health physician and general practitioner. Dr Simon has worked in general practice at a student health service in suburban Melbourne and in remote health across Australia. 

He has also worked as senior medical advisor for the Victorian Department of Health supporting the COVID-19 response. He has advised in the field of communicable disease control and environmental health protection.

Laura O’Shea

Project coordinator for North Richmond Community Health’s COVID-19 Program

Laura O’Shea manages the High-Risk Accommodation Response (HRAR) at North Richmond Community Health. She has a background in intensive care nursing, and a long history of working in Community Health.

Laura is passionate about the wellbeing of our local community, and seeks to achieve positive outcomes for those she works with through sound clinical and social service delivery. Laura has developed strong skills in building stakeholder relationships, including capacity to seek client and community needs to shape services.

Dr Shobhana Nambiar

Senior Registrar at both University Hospital and St John of God Hospital in Geelong

 Dr Shobhana Nambiar graduated from Monash Medical School with Honours and has been working in Emergency Medicine for over 15 years.  She is currently a Senior Registrar at both University Hospital and St John of God Hospital in Geelong. 

She has a special interest in ongoing education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She currently a clinical tutor for 1st, 3rd and final year medical students at Melbourne University. 

She has also juggled working on the frontline throughout the pandemic with home-schooling her 8-year old daughter.

Anthony Tassone

Victorian President of the Pharmacy Guild

Anthony is a community pharmacist and has been a proprietor of community pharmacies since 2006 in outer south eastern Melbourne. He has been the Victorian Branch President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia since 2013.

His pharmacies have been recognised for community engagement and customer service excellence on multiple occasions at both a State and Federal level. Over the past decade, Anthony has served on a range of advisory boards for multi-national pharmaceutical companies and held advisory roles with State and Federal governments.