Aged care residents across the country would receive a fourth COVID booster jab and flu vaccination at the same time as part of a double-jab rollout that is being planned between April and May.
The federal government and aged care providers are believed to be working together in preparing for the double-jab rollout, but they are still awaiting confirmation from a national immunisation panel as to whether a fourth vaccine dose will be required for vulnerable people.
This panel had previously recommended a 14-day separation between having the two vaccines, but Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck told the Herald Sun that medical advice has now changed.
“A flu jab in one arm and the COVID vaccine in the other arm is the likely scenario,” said Mr Colbeck.
“The jury’s still out. We don’t have formal advice that we will do an extra booster, but we are preparing effectively as if we will. We want to get it done before winter if it needs to be done.”
Earlier this month, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly revealed that boosters that have been created specifically for the Omicron variant of COVID may not be ready before winter. However, he also stated that there is “plenty” of mRNA vaccine if needed.
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