The latest COVID-19 vaccination numbers for aged care workers show that the country is making progress – but there is still a way to go.
Official figures show that 51 per cent of aged care workers nationwide have now had their first COVID-19 jab, with 32 per cent fully vaccinated.
There are still six weeks to go before COVID-19 vaccination becomes mandatory for residential aged care workers on 17 September, at which point workers must have received at least their first shot to enter a facility.
Aged care provider RSL LifeCare has had almost 500 staff in Sydney given their first dose via mobile clinics.
They will get their second dose of Pfizer three weeks after their first jab, but lack of access to vaccines is still a major concern.
CEO Graham Millett told us:
“At RSL LifeCare, the vast majority of our staff welcome the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Our staff are not vaccine hesitant and take the health and safety of themselves as well as that of residents, family members and the community seriously.”
“We have found that the main barrier for many staff has been access to the COVID-19 vaccine. This is a real hurdle that the Government needs to overcome to ensure all aged care workers are entirely vaccinated. Currently in NSW the wait at vaccination hubs is at least six weeks, even when they are being identified as a frontline worker.”
“Mobile clinics at aged care homes have been fantastic for our residential aged care staff to be vaccinated. NSW Health have vaccinated more than 448 RSL LifeCare staff at ANZAC Village and John Edmondson VC Gardens. With their assistance, approximately 35% of RSL LifeCare Residential Aged Care staff have had the first jab and 25% have had both doses.”
“Our staff are eager to ensure they are protected against COVID-19 as soon as possible and streamlining this process will ensure that occurs in a timely manner.”
There have been some moves to facilitate faster access to vaccinations.
The Federal Department of Health has now streamlined and extended the process for aged care providers to put in a Request for Tender (RFT) to conduct their own on-site vaccination clinics for workers.
This allows providers to choose when to run the clinics and over what period to enable all workers to be vaccinated as quickly and safely as possible.
Residential aged care workers can also get vaccinated onsite through GP-run clinics at a facility.
With the deadline to September counting down, providers need to act.
