COVID-19 vaccination for residential aged care workers

When you get vaccinated, you are protecting yourself and the people you care for from COVID-19.

Why you should be vaccinated against COVID-19

Protecting yourself through vaccination will help to protect the people you care for, your family and community from the impacts of COVID-19 including serious illness, hospitalisation and death.

Vaccination continues to be important in managing the risks related to COVID-19 in high-risk settings such as residential aged care. Aged care workers are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to aid in protection against infection and severe disease for themselves and the people they care for.

The immunity from COVID-19 vaccines wanes over time. Additional doses bolster a person’s immune response and provide an additional layer of protection to further reduce the risk of infection.

You don’t have to wait 6 months since your last COVID-19 infection to get a vaccination. 

Additional doses increase protection against infection, serious illness, hospitalisation and death from COVID-19.

Why your employer may need to know your vaccination status

All aged care providers are legislatively required to report on staff COVID-19 vaccinations via the My Aged Care Service and Support Portal or when the vaccination status of workers has changed.

Your residential aged care home is required to keep records and report on the number of workers who have received a COVID-19 vaccination, including additional doses.

Although COVID-19 vaccinations are no longer mandated for workers, residential aged care workers can voluntarily notify their employer of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

Read more about mandatory COVID-19 vaccination reporting.

How to prove your vaccination status

There are 2 options for you to provide evidence of COVID-19 vaccination to your employer:

  1. A COVID-19 digital certificate – updated for each dose of vaccine, including any additional doses.
  2. An Immunisation History Statement – displays all vaccinations or medical contraindications and authorised exemptions, including COVID-19, that have been reported to the Australian Immunisation Register.

More information about COVID-19 vaccines

Learn more about:

Date last updated:

Help us improve health.gov.au

If you would like a response please use the enquiries form instead.