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Your email address will not be published.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

Australian aged care home pays $22 million in rent to Greek Orthodox Church – despite receiving taxpayer dollars

Meanwhile, the new Greek Orthodox Archbishop has been seen living life large in a luxurious $6.5 million harbour-view Sydney apartment, while aged care homes being overseen by him are reporting huge operating losses. What are your thoughts? Read More

Begging for help: an aged care worker’s letter reveals the horrific realities of an aged care facility battling coronavirus

‘There is NO staff available – we are begging for help with regard to staffing and no one wants to place themselves in the 'hot zone'. Therefore, it is all up to our depleted staff to help, feed, bathe, medicate and attend to residents who are basically dying.’ Read More

Keeping on the straight and narrow during COVID-19, hard though that might be

Suddenly, the reality of the ongoing nature of the pandemic has been highlighted by the increasingly stringent protective measures, trying to keep safe. Read More
Advertisement