General Updates
WA Health have released a Frequently Asked Questions document to accompany the Residential Aged Care Facility Worker Access Directions, we encourage everyone to review the directions and read the FAQs sheet.
Vaccination
Please see below advice and options to help your workforce access a COVID-19 vaccination noting the attached spreadsheet which shows upcoming regional State-run clinics and word document, which contains the metropolitan clinic schedule.
It would be appreciated if this could be shared with your staff.
All residential aged care workers are being provided with priority access for Pfizer vaccination at State-run clinics.
Please see options for attending a clinic below – schedules for the clinics are available for Metro WA and Non-metro WA.
Please bring evidence of your occupation such as your employee ID or a payslip along with photo ID and your Medicare card, if you have one.
NEW CLINIC:
Residential Aged Care Facility workers have a fresh opportunity to be vaccinated for COVID-19.
The new COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC) officially opens to the public on Monday.
However, today, Saturday 14 August, to coincide with the Care and Ageing Well Expo, RACF staff can receive their Pfizer jab without an appointment. The doors will open at 9am and close at 3pm.
The COVID-19 vaccination clinic is in Pavilion 6, inside the PCEC.
You can park underneath or take the short walk from Elizabeth Quay train station.
With the 17 September deadline for mandatory vaccinations coming up quickly, we encourage you to roll up your sleeve.
Appointments are not necessary between 9am and 1pm, and it’s only a short walk between pavilions.
Booked appointments
Bookings for GP, GP Respiratory Clinics, ACCHS or State-run clinics can be made through the Commonwealth’s online booking system. This system will automatically direct to VaccinateWA for State-run clinics. Vaccinate WA is a live system and additional appointments are being added regularly. 13 COVID (13 26843) is another booking option from 8am-6pm, 7-days a week.
Staff can contact Sonic Clinical Services Australia 1300 355 747 Monday to Friday between 7am and 3pm to book an appointment at one of their three new sites. Please note, bookings are by appointment only. These sites are:
Walk-in option (no booking required)
As a residential aged care worker, you can walk-on to any State-run clinic in either metropolitan or regional WA for your vaccine eligibility group, without making a booking. However, please be aware that other people will be attending the clinic and you might need to wait in a queue, but you should be able to get a vaccination within a reasonable time frame.
It is best to not turn up less than an hour before closing time as the clinic may not be able to fit you in. Please register your details on VaccinateWA beforehand or by calling 13 COVID (13 26843).In some smaller regional clinics, you may not always be able to get a vaccine on the same day as you walk-in. Clinic staff will work with you to schedule you in as soon as possible.
Any residential aged care worker having trouble accessing a clinic is encouraged to contact the team at COVID.Immunisation@health.wa.gov.au for support.
Group bookings
Group bookings are a great opportunity to arrange vaccinations for a number of residential aged care workers at one occasion. Please ensure everyone registers on VaccinateWA and then email COVID.Immunisation@health.wa.gov.au advising the number of staff seeking vaccination, location for preferred State-run vaccination clinic, and vaccine preference of anyone aged 60 years and over.
Advice on AstraZeneca vaccination appointments
- If you have an appointment at a State-run clinic to receive your first dose of AstraZeneca, you should have received correspondence to see if you wish to switch to a Pfizer COVID-19 appointment. If you have any questions, please contact COVID.Immunisation@health.wa.gov.au.
- If you have already received you first dose of AstraZeneca, the current advice from the Australia Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is that your second dose should also be AstraZeneca. We encourage you to keep your second dose AstraZeneca appointment. For more information please visit Advice for people who have had their first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine.