COVID-19 update – 18 August 2021

18 August 2021

NSW COVID-19 outbreak

There are now 9,280 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in NSW reported since 16 June 2021. Click here for all the latest information relating to the NSW outbreak including case locations and alerts. Over the past two weeks to 15 August 2021 there have been 876 locally acquired cases in the CESPHN region. The largest concentrations are in the following Local Government Areas (LGAs) Canterbury-Bankstown (412), Bayside (124) Georges River (87), Inner West (56), Strathfield (50) and Sydney (39).

See here or check our website for information on the latest testing locations and new community pop up vaccination locations

Additional PPE available 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) packages including surgical and N95/P2 masks, gloves, gowns and goggles will be made available for community pharmacies and those GPs who continue to see their patients within their practices. PPE guidelines can be found here.

CESPHN will continue to distribute these supplies. To order PPE for your practice or pharmacy click here.

Vaccination rollout progress in our region

In the last week, CESPHN estimates an additional 84,324 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered to people living in the CESPHN region. Of these additional doses, 45 per cent were AstraZeneca vaccines and 55 per cent were Pfizer vaccines.

You can view vaccination uptake by postcode here.

Vaccine eligibility checker 

The COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker has now been translated into 15 languages to ensure Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities are able to access and book their vaccinations. Additional languages will be released in the coming weeks.

The Vaccine Eligibility Checker can also be used to book your vaccine.

Call-out for GPs, pharmacists, nurses and other health professionals to assist in vaccination

We are maintaining a register of GPs, pharmacists, nurses and other allied health professionals who are available to work shifts in COVID vaccination clinics. Please complete this form if you are interested. Thank you to all those of you have already registered.

COVID-19 vaccines for Medicare ineligible patients

The vaccine is available free of charge to everyone within Australia regardless of Medicare or visa status. This includes refugees, asylum seekers, temporary protection visa holders, bridging visas and those whose visas have been cancelled. Non-citizens who have overstayed their visas can also access the COVID-19 vaccines for free.

Individuals who do not have a Medicare card can access free vaccinations at Commonwealth Vaccination Clinics, State or territory vaccination clinics or Community Pharmacies.

Pharmacists can lodge a claim in the PPA Portal using special Medicare number 25437529911 if the patient does not hold a Medicare card.

More than 500k Pfizer doses for those aged 16-39 in LGAs of concern

Those aged 16 to 39 living in the 12 Local Government Areas (LGA) of concern will be given priority access to the Pfizer vaccine at a number of NSW Health clinics from tomorrow (Thursday 19 August). People will be able to book an appointment at: nsw.gov.au from 9.00 am today (Wednesday 18 August) for the following clinics. Bookings are essential and both doses must be booked at the same clinic: 

• Bankstown vaccination clinic: Bankstown PCYC, Cnr French Ave &, Meredith St 
• Bayside vaccination clinic: Novotel Brighton-Le-Sands, Cnr Grand Pde and, Princess St
• Liverpool vaccination clinic: Ngara Education Centre, (via Governor Macquarie Drive), 52 Scrivener St , Warwick Farm
• NSW Health vaccination centre, Sydney Olympic Park: 1 Figtree Drive, Sydney Olympic Park 
• Prairiewood vaccination clinic: Prairiewood Youth and Community Centre 194-222 Restwell Rd  Prairiewood 
• Penrith vaccination clinic: Penrith Panthers Rugby League Club, 123 Mulgoa Rd, Penrith 
• Qudos Bank Arena NSW Health vaccination centre: 19 Edwin Flack Ave, Sydney Olympic Park 
• Sonic Healthcare vaccination clinic, Hurstville: Hurstville Aquatic Leisure Centre, King Georges Rd &, Forest Rd, Hurstville 
• Sonic Healthcare vaccination clinic, Sydney CBD: 175 Pitt Street Sydney 
• South Western Sydney vaccination centre: Glenquarie Town Centre, Corner Victoria Rd and Brooks Street, Macquarie Fields

People aged 16-39 years who live in the following 12 LGAs are eligible to make a booking: Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Penrith and Strathfield. 

Those not aged 16 to 39 cannot book through this scheme. 

Priority COVID-19 vaccines for eligible authorised workers

Authorised workers are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination if they live in one of the Local Government Areas (LGAs) or suburbs of concern and fall into the authorised categories:

• health care, aged care and disability care
• construction
• freight and transport; including bus drivers
• meat processing
• food production/processing/retail
• Primary, Secondary and Early Childhood school staff

Please note that some of the above categories are eligible regardless of location. More info here.

NSW Health has established a number of priority clinics where authorised workers can get vaccinated as part of this campaign. More information about eligibility and how to book an appointment is available on the NSW Government website.

Commencing Monday 23 August, open Monday-Friday 09:00 – 16:00

Site address: Suite 203, Level 2, 414-416 Gardeners Rd Rosebery NSW 2018.

Vaccination hub for residential and disability group home staff

HCA will open a new vaccination hub at Rosebery for residential and disability group home staff next week. Bookings are made through the same booking link as the Ashfield hub.

Booking Link: https://22214.covidhub.com.au

Webinars: 

COVID vaccination for pharmacist immunisers

Topic: COVID vaccination for pharmacist immunisers

Date: Wednesday 18 August
Time: 7.00 pm AEST

Please register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lF2UdRo5TM2-7Zzx2bKChA.

This webinar organised by NSW Health and NCIRS will provide:

• an overview of the NSW Vaccination Standards and obligations pharmacist immunisers must meet to deliver AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination to their patients
• current advice from ATAGI on benefits and harms of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination
• a practical approach to gaining informed consent, including how to discuss the benefits and risks of the AZ vaccine to patients and when to refer patients to medical practitioners
• opportunity to have your questions answered by our panel of pharmacist experts, medical specialists and general practitioners.

This webinar will be recorded and available in the days following. Register to receive the link to the recording via email when it is available.

What’s next for Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine program?

Topic: Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and model predictions

Date: Thursday 26 August

Time: 11.30 am – 1.00 pm AEST

Please register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1816291670520/WN_SMYQ6nFCSdybZGFljF7M3Q

In Australia and globally we continue to face new challenges in the prevention of COVID-19. Join NCIRS (National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance) for this webinar discussing what’s next for Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine program.  

In this webinar you will:

• learn about the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine that will roll out in Australia from September 2021, with an overview from Dr Randall Hyer, Senior Vice President, Moderna Therapeutics,
• be updated on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness and protection against the Delta variant
• gain a deeper understanding of modeling of the COVID-19 vaccine impact that is informing Australia’s approach to emerging from the pandemic.

COVID-19 vaccination community information sessions

There are a variety of in-language webinars coming up around vaccination information for community members. These sessions will be presented by bilingual health professionals from South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, and will answer your questions about:

• Why should I get vaccinated?
• Which vaccine is best for me?
• Where can I get vaccinated?
• How do I prepare for my vaccination?

Getting vaccinated is an important way to protect yourself, your family and your community. These sessions are FREE and open to ALL members of the community.

• COVID-19 Vaccination Community Information session in INDONESIAN – Tuesday 17 August, 6.00 pm
• COVID-19 Vaccination Community Information session in NEPALI – Wednesday 18 August, 6.00 pm
• COVID-19 Vaccination Community Information session in BANGLA – Thursday 19 August, 6.30 pm

Walk In AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic in Rockdale

There is a new Walk In AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic in Rockdale at the Rockdale Town Hall. No bookings are required and this clinic is accessible to people who don’t have a Medicare card. Anyone 18 years and over can walk in and get their free AstraZeneca vaccine.

Vaccine Eligibility Checker – in 15 languages

The Vaccine Eligibility Checker is now available in 15 languages as well as English to help all Australians access the information they need to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Click here for instructions on adding Eligibility Checker to your website.

The Department of Health also provides sharable social media and campaign materials you may find useful.