Thank you for continuing to stay up to date with the latest COVID-19 vaccine rollout information, via this newsletter.
Please share this newsletter with your colleagues and workforce, particularly your communications teams and encourage them to subscribefor future updates.
New resources on the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
New resources on the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are now available from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). The new resources are available on the Department of Health's website:
On 16 March 2021 the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued a response on the pausing of AstraZeneca vaccinations in some countries. The TGA is in close contact with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which is investigating the issue overseas.
As at 15 March 2021, the TGA has not received any reports of blood clots following administration of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Australia.
Applications now open for residential aged care facilities to vaccinate staff
The Department is seeking submissions from residential aged care facilities interested in vaccinating their residential aged care staff with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Facilities must be able to demonstrate that they have the capability and capacity to vaccinate their staff across at least five residential aged care facilities.
For further information on the Request for Tender please see the AusTender website.
Contact your Primary Health Network for scheduling updates
Residential aged care facilities are reminded that Primary Health Networks are your primary contact point for the COVID-19 vaccination program rollout. This includes questions about scheduling.
The Vaccine Operations Centre (VOC) should not be contacted for advice on scheduling.
Facilities should only contact the VOC on the day of vaccination for issues relating to vaccine deliveries and/or if a vaccine workforce provider is not on site, and you are unable to contact the vaccine workforce provider. Please refer to the Triaging and Scenario map for detailed guidance about who to contact in certain situations that may occur during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
More information
For more information you can view:
- the COVID-19 vaccine aged care readiness toolkit
- past editions of the Protecting Older Australians Newsletter.