According to reports, there are still 24,000 aged care workers in the sector who are yet to receive their first jab, including small numbers of regional nursing homes where staff vaccination rates are lower than 50%.
Figures released by the federal government’s vaccination task force show that more than 90% of Australia’s residential aged care workforce have had at least one jab as of Monday.
“We have identified the remaining providers with unvaccinated workers and have roving clinics visiting these facilities to ensure we offer all workers the opportunity to get a jab by the end of the week”, a spokesman for the operation told the Brisbane Times.
For instance, aged care workers in Victoria who have booked their first vaccination by October 1 will be allowed to continue working in the lead-up to their shot.
Aged Care Services Minister, Richard Colbeck, said that the federal government was not expecting to see “a huge number of people who won’t get vaccinated,” and he predicts that will not see any “huge issues” regarding staff availability.
Mr Colbeck also noted that data revealing lagging vaccination rates at particular nursing homes could also be the result of reporting delays.
Earlier this week, Gerard Hayes, Federal President of the Health Services Union (HSU) called for a two to four-week extension of the mandatory one-does deadline, stating that any type of workers’ exodus would have a huge impact on an already overstretched workforce.
