Further information is available at:
- Advice to residential aged care facilities - COVID-19 (Coronavirus) (nsw.gov.au)
- Advice to home care service providers - COVID-19 (Coronavirus) (nsw.gov.au)
- The updated Public Health (COVID-19 Care Services) Order (No 3) 2021.
All staff, health practitioners and students entering a residential aged care facility, and all in-home and community aged care workers (including home care package and Commonwealth Home Support Programme workers) must have 3 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine unless the person has received 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and it is not after the later of the following
- 12 April 2022 or
- six weeks from the due date of the persons third dose (due date is 13 weeks after the persons second dose).
As with the authorised exemptions to first and second doses, exemptions to a third dose (booster) for workers are limited to:
- a medical exemption of which the worker provides proof on request
- a temporary exemption of which the worker provides proof on request
- a worker declared an exempt person by the Minister if they are satisfied it is necessary to protect the health and well-being of persons.
To support your workers get their third dose (booster) as soon as eligible, they can receive priority appointments through all vaccination channels:
- Visiting GPs or pharmacists providers to facilities
- NSW state vaccination clinics
- GPs
- Community pharmacies
- Commonwealth dedicated worker vaccination hubs. The hubs listings are also available at COVID-19 vaccination – Vaccination hubs.
Residential aged care workers can also access a booster dose at on-site return booster clinics at aged care facilities, delivered by residential aged care providers, primary care providers or Commonwealth vaccine providers.
All aged care workers can:
- book an appointment at a primary care or state vaccination clinic using the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder
- call the dedicated COVID-19 Helpline on 1800 020 080 (select option 4) for any questions about vaccination and for assistance on how to book an appointment.
Workers required to provide evidence of vaccination
Aged care workers must provide employers evidence of their third dose (booster) vaccination.
Providers will already have a record of workers’ first and second doses, so workers can use either their updated COVID-19 Digital Certificate or Immunisation History Statement, which shows all vaccinations, as evidence of their third dose (booster).
Fact sheets are available for residential aged care workers and in-home and community aged care workers explains to provide evidence of your COVID-19 vaccination status.
Providers must ensure workers have received a third dose (booster)
Residential, in-home and community aged care providers must collect and maintain a record of the vaccination status of each worker.
Providers must also only roster on staff compliant with the new vaccination requirements, or those who are exempt from them.
Mandatory reporting on workers’ third doses
Reporting on aged care worker COVID-19 third doses (booster) is mandatory. Aged care providers are required to report on workers’ COVID-19 third doses (booster) through the My Aged Care portal.