Immunisation weekly update – 3 February 2021

3 February 2021

COVID-19 vaccine training program

Information about free and accredited training modules for people involved in the administration of COVID-19 vaccines.

See website to read about:

• Training modules
• Enrolling in the training
• Online training 

Data source

A new resource is now available which outlines available immunisation data sources which may assist in identifying and planning immunisation activities and strategies. Please click here to read about Immunisation coverage data sources.

FAQ on Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy 

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/about-covid-19-vaccines

Childhood Immunisation Coverage Rates in SESLHD 

Summary: 

As at 31 December 2020:

• 94.5% of SESLHD children were considered fully vaccinated at 12 months
• 91.3% of SESLHD children were considered fully vaccinated at 2 years
• 92.6% of SESLHD children were considered fully vaccinated at 5 years

South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) have released their 2020 Quarter 4 Immunisation Coverage report. Whilst the overall immunisation coverage rates for the SESLHD region are encouraging, there are still areas that have consistently low or declining coverage rates. Standouts this quarter were the Botany LGA with improved rates in their 12 month (96.8%) and 2 year (93.8%) cohorts. The highest coverage for the 5 year old cohort was reported in Kogarah and Sutherland Shire LGAs, with 95.2% children recorded as fully vaccinated.

For more detail on the 2020 Quarter 4 SESLHD coverage rates, visit the SESLHD website.

Rates appear to be slowly on the rise in some age cohorts in the Waverley, Coogee and Randwick LGAs where CESPHN continues to work closely with practices in the area as part of our ongoing project to improve the consistently low coverage rates in this area. CESPHN distributes overdue reports from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) to these practices whilst providing extensive support assisting them to follow up overdue children, identify children who are no longer residing in Australia and amend data errors.

CESPHN is committed to improving the immunisation rates of all children across the broader CESPHN region. Making a significant impact on immunisation coverage rates can take time and we applaud the continued efforts of practices with these activities.

Update on Australia’s COVID-19 vaccines

The Australian Government Department of Health has a strategy to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to everyone living in Australia as soon as they are available.

A staged roll out of the vaccine is expected to commence in February 2021.

COVID-19 vaccines

The Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is likely to be available from early mid-February this year. Doses of this vaccine will be available through 30 to 50 hubs at specific hospital sites across urban and rural Australia.

Approval of the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is anticipated for the coming months.

Roll out of COVID-19 vaccines

Both vaccines will progressively be distributed through an expanded number of sites, including general practice clinics, existing Commonwealth GP respiratory clinics, state-run vaccination clinics and pharmacies.

The vaccine rollout roadmap has determined the phases of vaccination for priority groups:

Phase 1a

• Quarantine and border workers
• Frontline at-risk health care workers
• Residential aged care and disability care staff
• Residential aged care and disability care residents.

Phase 1b

• Adults over 70 years
• All other health care workers
• Begin vaccinating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Younger adults with an underlying medical condition, including those with a disability
• Critical and high risk workers including defence, police, fire, emergency services and meat processing.

Phase 2a

• Adults over 50 years
• Continue vaccinating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Other critical and high risk workers.

Phase 2b

• Balance of adult population
• Catch up any unvaccinated Australians from previous phases.

Phase 3

• People under 18 years if recommended.

Who is considered a “frontline” healthcare workers?

Frontline healthcare workers are those at the greatest risk of exposure to COVID-19:

• GP Respiratory Clinics
• COVID-19 testing facilities
• ambulance staff
• paramedics
• ICU staff
• emergency department staff
• clinical and ancillary support staff.

Other healthcare workers, include GPs, pharmacists, and other health professionals.

Learn more at the Department of Health’s COVID-19 vaccines website and subscribe to the COVID-19 Vaccines Update.