The Government has failed to meet its target to have all aged care residents and staff vaccinated by the end of March – with many aged care workers yet to receive workplace vaccinations.
Under the Government’s original rollout plan, four million Australians were to be vaccinated against COVID by 31 March 2021, including 1.4 million people considered vulnerable groups – such as aged care residents and the staff who care for them.
But according to the latest Department of Health figures presented by Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt yesterday, there have been only 125,260 vaccinations across 1,000 aged care facilities that have had first doses and 435 facilities that have had second doses.
There are currently around 190,000 older Australians living in 2,700 aged care services who are supported by around 318,000 aged care workers.
In total, just 996,145 vaccinations have been provided across the country as of 8 April.
There is also no information on how many aged care staff have received their vaccinations at their workplaces.
Operators say many staff not receiving vaccines
Talking to providers, many staff have not received a vaccination, with any leftover doses from vaccinating residents given to senior nursing staff.
We understand that many aged care staff have now been directed to go to their GP or pop-up clinics to receive their vaccines.
Flu vaccinations – which were made mandatory in residential care on 1 May last year – have also been held back because of the delays in the COVID rollout.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported this week that a Department of Health spokesperson said the current medical advice was now to not vaccinate residents and large numbers of staff at the same time, to prevent staffing shortfalls from mild side effects after vaccination.
The same spokesperson also said that from mid-April, aged care workers should be able to receive a COVID vaccination at dedicated worker vaccination clinics – but we have yet to hear any more detail on this change.
Government promises vaccinations are ramping up
It is disappointing news.
The Government has blamed the slow rollout on the fact that 3.1 of the 3.8 million doses contracted for the early part of the vaccination program didn’t make it to Australia.
“That obviously had a very significant impact on the early rollout of the vaccination program, until we got into a position when the domestically produced AstraZeneca vaccine would be in place,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday.
Mr Morrison maintained that this is the only reason behind the hold up – and the vaccination program is ramping up.
“I assure Australians that we’re all working together to get this delivered,” he said. “It will take as long as it takes. We have our clear targets and that is to get through 1A and 1B by midyear and to have offered to Australians that first dose for adult Australians by the end of October.”
With the news that the medical advice is now for the under-50s to not receive the AstraZeneca vaccine because of a rare blood clotting condition, we only hope the Government can deliver on its promise – and continue to prioritise our most vulnerable and those who support them.
