The COVID-19 Vaccine Secretary Approvals for nurse immunisers and pharmacist immunisers have now been extended for an additional 12 months until 4 October 2024 and have been published in Government Gazette S 530 Thursday 5 October 2023.
The Secretary Approvals have been subject to the following amendments:
- Removal of the requirement to complete the Commonwealth COVID-19 Vaccination Training Program.
- Removal of the requirement to comply with the Victorian COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines.
- Requirement to comply with any additional requirements specified on the Department of Health’s (the department’s) COVID-19 vaccine webpage.
Context for amendments:
From 1 October 2023 the Commonwealth Government’s COVID-19 Vaccination Training Program is no longer mandatory for COVID-19 vaccination providers. As part of this transition, the Department of Health and Aged Care will no longer be producing new COVID-19 Vaccine Training Modules and access to the COVID-19 learning platform will no longer be available.
The Victorian COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines have also been reviewed and information required to support immunisers administering COVID-19 vaccines in Victoria has been transitioned onto the department’s COVID-19 vaccine webpage.
All immunisers have a professional obligation to maintain competence and operate within their individual scope of practice by ensuring that they have the knowledge, skills and currency of practice for all vaccines that they administer. The new COVID-19 vaccine webpage provides key information and links to Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommendations, vaccine schedules and other resources to support immunisers administering COVID-19 vaccines in Victoria.