HealthCare Australia (HCA) COVID-19 booster dose clinics are operating in eligible Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) across the East Melbourne catchment until 18 December 2021, before breaking for the holiday period. They will recommence on 10 January 2022.
EMPHN is coordinating with HCA to ensure all eligible RACFs receive a clinic, providing booster vaccinations to both residents and staff. Where RACFs choose an alternative VAS provider or a GP to deliver their clinic, EMPHN is also coordinating with those groups.
Key information:
- HCA (or alternative VAS provider) will contact your RACF directly to schedule a clinic date at your convenience.
- One booster clinic per RACF will be provided by HCA (or alternative VAS provider).
- All residents and staff who received their second COVID-19 dose 6 months prior to the scheduled clinic date will be eligible for a booster dose.
- First and second doses can also be administered at the booster clinics.
- Informed consent for each resident and staff member receiving a booster dose must be organised prior to HCA (or alternative VAS provider) delivering the booster clinic.
- RACFs are responsible for preparing for the clinic. More information about clinic preparation is available in these resources – Planning Checklist for Vaccination Day, and Site Readiness Checklist.
- GPs may also deliver booster doses. If RACFs choose this option (or an alternative VAS provider), please inform racfsupport@emphn.org.au of the GP clinic or GP name, and the date on which the boosters will be delivered.
- Residents’ vaccination status must be uploaded to the My Aged Care portal. RACFs are responsible for doing this.
- HCA (or alternative VAS provider) is responsible for uploading booster vaccinations delivered to residents and staff to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
- Residents and staff missed at the booster clinic who wish to have a booster dose will need to pursue other options. This could be an in-reach GP service, or where possible, encouraging family to take residents to a GP or pharmacy to receive their booster dose when eligible. EMPHN can assist you in identifying your options.
- If a staff member is unable to attend the booster clinic organised for their facility or is not yet eligible for a booster dose, they can receive a priority vaccination from a GP, pharmacy, Commonwealth or State vaccination clinic.
- Residents’ proof of vaccination must be visible on their My Gov account. Instructions to verify proof of COVID-19 vaccination can be found here.
- If proof of vaccination is not visible, please fill out HCA’s ‘Vaccination Record Query’ form for further assistance.
- Residents’ Medicare cards must be valid. If it is not valid, apply for an urgent replacement. If a resident does not have a Medicare number, their record can be verified in one of two ways:
- Full name, date of birth and unique immunisation identifier.
- Full name, date of birth and postcode (the same as on their My Gov account).
For more information about the COVID-19 booster program in residential aged care please visit the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 Booster Vaccination Program webpage.
Updated Victorian Department of Health guidelines
The Victorian DOH are regularly updating their guidelines for residential aged care providers, including public health actions in the event of an outbreak or exposure to COVID-19, and requirements relating to furloughing of staff.
The latest advice, which was updated on 29 November and 1 December, can be found in the department’s Residential Aged Care COVID-19 Outbreak Management Toolkit.
If you have any queries regarding the booster vaccination program, please reach out to us on racfsupport@emphn.org.au or call us on (03) 9046 0300.