COVID-19 vaccination rates in every residential aged care facility in Australia is being published in an effort to keep older Australians safe from serious COVID-19 illness.
The COVID-19 vaccination rate for residents over the past 12 months has been published for 2,609 residential aged care facilities around Australia.
The data shows that:
- 97 facilities have a vaccination rate of less than 10%.
- 73 facilities have a vaccination rate of 10-20%.
- 308 facilities have a vaccination rate of 20-40%.
- 527 facilities have a vaccination rate of 40-60%.
- 892 facilities – or more than a third – have a vaccination rate of 60-80%.
- 710 facilities – or more than a quarter – have a vaccination rate of 80% or higher.
The Albanese Government and Commonwealth authorities are using the publication of the vaccination rates as an opportunity to call on residential aged care providers to urgently redouble their efforts to provide residents with COVID-19 and flu vaccinations.
It is recommended that people over 75 years receive a COVID-19 vaccination every 6 months and people 65 to 74 years are eligible for a booster every 6 months and recommended to receive a vaccination every 12 months. There is no longer an interval between last infection and receiving your booster.
Latest data published on 21 June shows that only 38% of residents in aged care homes have received a COVID-19 booster in the past six months, with 161 more outbreaks of COVID-19 in residential aged care homes compared to the same time last year meaning greater risk of severe disease for those residents who have not had a recent booster.
COVID-19 and flu are a concern for older people who are at greater risk of serious disease. Aged care residents are particularly vulnerable to respiratory illnesses because of their age and health care needs.
From 29 April this year, for the first time, the Albanese Government began funding pharmacists to provide free flu and other National Immunisation Program (NIP) vaccines on site at residential aged care facilities and disability homes.
The National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy Program (NIPVIP) ensures more Australians have convenient and affordable access to lifesaving vaccines, ensuring some of our most vulnerable Australians are given free vaccines to protect them from influenza ahead of winter.
Facilities with vaccination rates identified as low have been contacted by the Department of Health and Aged Care call centre to remind them of vaccination recommendations for residents and seeking information about their vaccination plans over coming weeks.
Additionally, the Boards of Residential Aged Care Facilities have received correspondence from the Chief Medical Officer and Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner reminding them of their obligations to protect residents.
To further ensure boosters are being prioritised in residential facilities, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is making a series of unannounced site visits across the country.
You can find the latest COVID-19 booster advice from the Chief Medical Officer here: COVID-19 vaccine advice and recommendations for 2024 | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
Quotes attributable to Minister Wells
“We’re funding GPs and pharmacists to provide free flu and COVID-19 vaccines at aged care homes, ensuring protection of residents from COVID-19 and influenza ahead of winter.
“Residential aged care providers have a responsibility to work with these health care professionals to make timely vaccines easily available to residents, and to have robust infection, prevention and control measures in place.
“If you have a family member, friend or loved one living in an aged care home, please talk to them and their care team about getting COVID-19 and flu vaccines now.
“It is greatly concerning to me, as it no doubt is to family, friends and Australians everywhere, that there are 170 facilities where fewer than 1 in 5 residents are immunised against COVID-19.”