Around 240 residential aged care facilities among the first to receive vaccinations in the first week, commencing Monday – February 22.
The vaccination program will begin in every state and territory and will include regional and rural aged care facilities. It is anticipated that the roll out to aged care facilities will take approximately six weeks.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said Vaccination for residents and staff will be made available through residential aged care facilities where they live or work, and it will be administered through an in-reach workforce provider,” Minister Hunt said.
“Healthcare Australia will be providing the vaccination workforce in New South Wales and Queensland, and Aspen Medical will be responsible for the other states and territories.
“The Primary Health Network in each region will be supporting the Commonwealth deliver to each of the aged care facilities in their area and the process is expected to draw from the extensive experience in delivering influenza vaccines to aged care residents.”
Residential aged care facilities will be grouped, up to a maximum of eight facilities within a 30 kilometre radius to ensure efficient delivery of the vaccine.
Vaccination for home and community aged care recipients and staff will occur in the community, and these people will receive information relevant to their situation shortly.
It’s anticipated that people aged over 70 years who do not reside in residential aged care facilities, along with in-home and community aged care staff, will be able to go to specified central locations or medical facilities to receive their COVID 19 vaccination, as the time comes for their vaccination.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said the Australian Government would be responsible for leading the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program in the aged care sector.
“We are consulting with relevant peak bodies and state and territory governments, but the responsibilities are clearly delineated so all parties understand their role in this critical and complex program,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The New South Wales, Victorian and the South Australian governments will maintain responsibility for vaccinating residents and staff of the public sector residential aged care and disability care facilities in their state.
“It is vital residents and families understand what information is available to them as the vaccine strategy is rolled out. I would encourage residents and family members to ask if they need help understanding the vaccine program and how it will affect them.
“Importantly, the vaccine providers will be providing information about the vaccine and seeking consent from aged care residents or their substitute decision maker, to ensure they understand the risks and benefits of receiving the vaccine.”
Everyone responsible for providing the vaccine in aged care settings will be required to have completed the relevant training, including on the use of multi-dose vials, cold storage and infection control.
In the coming weeks, the vaccination program will reach more than 2,600 residential aged care facilities, more than 183,000 residents and 339,000 staff.
For further information visit: https://www.australia.gov.au/
Stakeholder information kit in support of the rollout can be found here – https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/covid-19-vaccination-aged-care-stakeholder-kit
Updated 19th February, 2021:
Thousands of aged care residents in Australia, at more than 240 facilities, will receive their first COVID-19 vaccine dose next week. The facilities are located across Australia in over 190 towns and suburbs in rural and urban areas in every state and territory – listed below:
| Australian Capital Territory Curtin | |
| Farrer | |
| Garran | |
| Griffith | |
| Hughes | |
| Narrabundah | |
| Red Hill | |
| Stirling | |
| Weston | |
| New South Wales Alstonville | |
| Austral | |
| Ballina | |
| Bangor | |
| Barden Ridge | |
| Blacktown | |
| Collaroy | |
| Collaroy Plateau | |
| Corrimal | |
| Cronulla | |
| Dean Park | |
| Emu Plains | |
| Engadine | |
| Glenfield | |
| Gosford West | |
| Heathcote | |
| Illawong | |
| Jamisontown | |
| Marayong | |
| Minto | |
| Mortdale | |
| Mount Austin | |
| Narrabeen | |
| Orange | |
| Peakhurst | |
| Penrith | |
| Penshurst | |
| Point Clare | |
| Port Macquarie | |
| Prestons | |
| Roselands | |
| Springwood | |
| Stanwell Park | |
| Tarrawanna | |
| Terrey Hills | |
| Thirroul | |
| Umina Beach | |
| Wagga Wagga | |
| Warriewood | |
| Woonona | |
| Woy Woy | |
| Northern Territory Alice Springs | |
| Braitling | |
| Coconut Grove | |
| Fannie Bay | |
| Farrar | |
| Nightcliff | |
| Tiwi | |
| Queensland Albany Creek | |
| Aspley | |
| Bald Hills | |
| Beaconsfield | |
| Birtinya | |
| Bray Park | |
| Buderim | |
| Bundaberg | |
| Burleigh Heads | |
| Burleigh Waters | |
| Carseldine | |
| Cleveland | |
| Glenella | |
| Glenvale | |
| Harristown | |
| Hope Island | |
| Kearneys Spring | |
| Kepnock | |
| Lawnton | |
| Mackay | |
| Meridan Plains | |
| Millbank | |
| Mirani | |
| Mudgeeraba | |
| North Bundaberg | |
| North Mackay | |
| North Tamborine | |
| Palmwoods | |
| Pimpama | |
| Redland Bay | |
| Robina | |
| Sippy Downs | |
| South Toowoomba | |
| Thornlands | |
| Toowoomba | |
| Upper Coomera | |
| Varsity Lakes | |
| Victoria Point | |
| Warana | |
| West Mackay | |
| Woombye | |
| South Australia Aldgate | |
| Cowandilla | |
| Encounter Bay | |
| Everard Park | |
| Goolwa | |
| Hahndorf | |
| Heathfield | |
| Lockleys | |
| Marion | |
| Marleston | |
| Morphettville | |
| Mount Barker | |
| North Plympton | |
| Oaklands Park | |
| Port Elliot | |
| Uraidla | |
| Victor Harbor | |
| Tasmania Burnie | |
| Legana | |
| Newnham | |
| Newstead | |
| Norwood | |
| Penguin | |
| Riverside | |
| Somerset | |
| St Leonards | |
| Ulverstone | |
| West Ulverstone | |
| Wynyard | |
| Victoria Altona Meadows | |
| Ballarat | |
| Ballarat East | |
| Bayswater | |
| Bendigo | |
| Blackburn | |
| California Gully | |
| Canadian | |
| Cowes | |
| Cranbourne | |
| Cranbourne East | |
| Creswick | |
| Dandenong | |
| Dandenong North | |
| Delacombe | |
| Drouin | |
| Drysdale | |
| East Bendigo | |
| Forest Hill | |
| Heathmont | |
| Hoppers Crossing | |
| Ironbark | |
| Junction Village | |
| Lara | |
| Long Gully | |
| Moe | |
| Morwell | |
| Mount Clear | |
| Neerim South | |
| Newborough | |
| Nunawading | |
| Ocean Grove | |
| Point Cook | |
| Point Lonsdale | |
| Portarlington | |
| Ringwood | |
| Vermont | |
| Vermont South | |
| Wallington | |
| Wantirna | |
| Wantirna South | |
| Warragul | |
| Wendouree | |
| Werribee | |
| Western Australia Balcatta | |
| Bunbury | |
| Calista | |
| Carey Park | |
| Cooloongup | |
| Donnybrook | |
| Eaton | |
| Emu Point | |
| Kingsley | |
| Lockyer | |
| Madeley | |
| Marangaroo | |
| Mirrabooka | |
| Port Kennedy | |
| Rockingham | |
| Shoalwater | |
| South Bunbury | |
| Spencer Park | |
| Waikiki | |
| Yakamia |
States and territories will initially have 16 Pfizer vaccination hubs operational across Australia. These first hubs will be at:
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (NSW)
- Westmead Hospital (NSW)
- Liverpool Hospital (NSW)
- Monash Medical Centre Clayton (VIC)
- Sunshine Hospital (VIC)
- Austin Health (VIC)
- University Hospital Geelong (VIC)
- Gold Coast University Hospital (QLD)
- Cairns Hospital (QLD)
- Princess Alexandra Hospital (QLD)
- Royal Adelaide Hospital (SA)
- Flinders Medical Centre (SA)
- Perth Children’s Hospital (WA)
- Royal Hobart Hospital (TAS)
- The Canberra Hospital (ACT)
- Royal Darwin Hospital (NT)
The remaining phases will be rolled out as the number of vaccines grows.
