Apr 17, 2020

Aged care staff urged to prepare for flu vaccination season

 

Staff and residents of aged care facilities across Australia are being urged to roll up their sleeves for flu vaccinations under a sweeping campaign to protect their health.

Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Richard Colbeck, said it is particularly important staff and residents of residential aged care facilities received the flu vaccination this season as the fight to combat the spread of COVID-19 continues.

“The Government has asked Primary Health Networks (PHNs) across Australia to assist in the coordination of flu vaccinations in their region,” Minister Colbeck said.

“This health emergency is unprecedented and as we edge closer to winter we want to make sure staff and residents have the protection of the flu vaccination.”

PHNs will contact all residential aged care providers by region to undertake a needs assessment and coordinate influenza vaccination programs for those services with an identified need.

The provisions may include sourcing vaccine supply and supplying qualified vaccine administrators.

“With their considerable local knowledge and on-the-ground expertise, PHNs will deliver this essential service for the benefit of aged care workers and the Senior Australians in their care,” Minister Colbeck said.

“The flu vaccination is an important way we can make sure people stay healthy and don’t end up in the emergency department which could over‑burden our hospitals during the COVID‑19 pandemic.”

The key decision-maker for health emergencies, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee recommended all residential aged care staff and visitors – including family, friends or external workers – be vaccinated by 1 May 2020.

More information about the vaccination program is available here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. It would be great if we could get supplies of under 65s vaccines so we can do our younger residents & our staff but we keep getting told by the pharmacy that we are next on the list then suddenly the delivery is redirected to another facility with no explanation or apology. At this rate it will be Christmas before we get any.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

New guides support the spirituality of dying and preparation for end of life

In advance of Palliative Care Week, Meaningful Ageing Australia has just launched two new guides which give aged care providers tools and resources to implement and manage preparations for end of life by all staff in aged care. The Spirituality of Dying Workshop Facilitator’s Guide provides straightforward material for organisations to increase the skill of... Read More

Aged care staff to spend 3 hours and 20 minutes with every resident by 2023

Aged care providers will have to deliver mandated minutes of care from next year, but with severe staff shortages already affecting homes and a new survey suggesting 75% of the workforce is planning to leave, where will the staff come from? Read More

A major ivermectin study has been withdrawn – so what now for the controversial drug?

A large clinical trial that seemed to show positive results for ivermectin has been withdrawn. So you’d think that would be end of the ivermectin saga. But research into ivermectin is ongoing. Here’s what the evidence says so far and what we can expect next. Read More
Advertisement