We are in week three of the COVID-19 Phase 1b rollout with an additional 90 practices commencing Astra-Zeneca vaccinations this week in the region.
All practices taking part in the Phase 1b rollout are reminded to submit vaccine orders a fortnight in advance. The ordering period closes on Friday evening. Please ensure that your order has gone through on the portal and if you experience any issues contact the Vaccine Operations Centre on 1800 318 208.
Updated ATAGI advice on AZ vaccine and blood clotting
ATAGI advice has been updated in light of a specific clotting condition being reported after COVID-19 vaccination. There may be a link between the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and rare cases of thrombosis associated with thrombocytopenia. See below for the most up to date links:
The Vaccine Eligibility Checker is designed to provide an easy way to determine eligibility. There have been over 3.1 million sessions on the tool.
Recent updates include:
Register your interest – people not yet eligible to be vaccinated can enter contact information and be notified when they are eligible (based on the information they have provided)
10 languages – the Eligibility Checker and Register your interest features are provided in Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Punjabi, Italian, Greek, Arabic, Turkish, Vietnamese as well as English. The languages have been chosen as they are the most widely spoken or have the lowest English proficiency languages according to the 2016 Australian Census data.
State-based variations are included where required
Pop-up information provides detail to help users determine their eligibility
User-friendly interface, currently undergoing vision-impaired accessibility enhancement
Seamless booking of an appointment at a vaccination clinic nearby or option to choose by first-available appointment.
COVID-19 update webinar
The RACGP will be running a NSW COVID-19 webinar on Monday 12 April at 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm AEDT. There will be updates from:
RACGP NSW&ACT’s A/Prof Charlotte Hespe and A/Prof Penny Burns
NSW Health’s Dr Kerry Chant, Chief Health Officer and Deputy Secretary
A recording of the recent webinar from 15 March can be found at this link.
Future phases of vaccine rollout
We expect opportunities to open up for more general practices and pharmacies to participate in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. If you are considering undertaking COVID-19 vaccinations in the next phase of the national COVID-19 rollout and would like to understand what might be required, please contact the Practice Support and Development Team on 1300 986 991 or email practicesupport@cesphn.com.au
Here are some suggestions for helping your practice/pharmacy to get ready for undertaking COVID vaccinations:
Ensuring your relevant staff such as GPs, Practice Nurses and Practice Managers have a PRODA account. CESPHN can help you with this.
Completing the online training may also help when answering questions from patients who may have had the vaccine elsewhere.
NSW COVID-19 update
There are areas of increased testing in the following LGAs: Ballina, Byron Bay, Lismore and Tweed.
If you have been to the below locations during the time and date indicated, you are a close contact and must get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days.
Close contact
Suburb
Venue
Address
Date and time
Byron Bay
Betty’s Burgers & Concrete Co – Patrons who sat in the laneway (Feros Arcade).
2 Lawson Street, Byron Bay, NSW 2481
11am to 12pm on Saturday 27 March 2021
Byron Bay
Byron Beach Hotel
1 Bay Street, Byron Bay, NSW 2481
7:15pm to 9pm on Friday 26 March 2021
Byron Bay
Mokha Café – Patrons who sat in the laneway (Feros Arcade)
2/2 Lawson Street, Byron Bay, NSW 2481
11am to 12pm on Saturday 27 March 2021
East Ballina
Ballina Golf and Sports Club (Pro Shop)
Jameson Avenue, East Ballina, NSW 2481
2:25pm to 2:35pm on Sunday 28 March 2021
Ewingsdale
Three Blue Ducks restaurant – Terrace
11 Ewingsdale Road, Ewingsdale, NSW 2481
8:45am to 9:30am on Sunday 28 March 2021
Lennox Head
Surfit 24/7 Epiq Gym
5 Snapper Drive, Lennox Head, NSW 2478
9.50am to 10.30am on Sunday 28 March 2021
Suffolk Park
Park Hotel/Motel – pub restaurant
223 Broken Head Road, Suffolk Park, NSW 2481
1.45pm to 2.10pm on Sunday 28 March 2021
Please check NSW Health website for casual contact locations requiring people to get tested.
If you have been to the Brisbane or Moreton Bay areas since 11 March, visit the Queensland Health website for information. If you arrive in NSW on or after midnight on 27 March, you must complete a self-declaration form. If you have been to an area of high concern, you may enter NSW only if you are a NSW resident and you must immediately get tested and self-isolate.
If you have been to the below locations during the time and date indicated, you are a close contact and must get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days.
COVID-19 near me
If you want to check locations visited by COVID-19 cases near you the following website offers a helpful interactive map: https://covid19nearme.com.au/state/nsw
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