Immunisation weekly update – 9 June 2021

9 June 2021

Minimum interval between COVID-19 and other vaccines is now 7 days

The ATAGI clinical guidance document has been updated (V4 – 2 June) and includes the following amended guidance:

Recommended minimum interval between COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines (including influenza vaccine) is 7 days, but can be shortened (including same day administration) in special circumstances.

Transfer of Astrazeneca Vaccine support

Practices participating in the COVID-19 vaccine roll out are encouraged to contact the PHN if you have excess AstraZeneca vaccine stock, or have further capacity to administer additional AstraZeneca vaccines.

Primary care COVID-19 vaccination sites, may choose to transfer AstraZeneca vaccines from one participating vaccination site to another for a range of reasons, including:

• to support unmet demand at another site,
• an oversupply of vaccine stock on hand, or
• unused stock following withdrawal from the COVID-19 Vaccination program

The Department of Health has provided guidance for practices on the transfer of AstraZeneca vaccine stock between participating vaccination sites. Transfer of stock between practices must be captured within the Vaccine Stock Management Report by both the transferring and receiving site.  If sites transfer vaccine, it is the responsibility of the sites to manage appropriate cold chain.

Contact CESPHN via email coronavirus@cesphn.com.au for further support. 

COVID-19 vaccines now available to people aged 40 years and over

From 8 June 2021, anyone aged 40 years and over will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as as well as other priority groups:

• All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16 to 49
• NDIS participants aged years 16 and over, and carers of NDIS participants of any age
• Temporary visa holders aged under 50 years who are currently in Australia and have been approved for return travel to Australia through the travel exemption process.

This is in addition to those who were already eligible.

Use the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker to find a COVID-19 vaccine clinic and book an appointment.

New reporting of aged care workforce COVID-19 vaccinations

From 15 June 2021, residential aged care providers will be required to report weekly on how many of their staff have been vaccinated against COVID-19 to provide greater health security for aged care residents.

For providers of in home and community aged care services, weekly reporting on the COVID-19 vaccination status of their workforce will become a formal requirement in the coming weeks.

To support this reporting, a new online reporting tool is being introduced on the My Aged Care provider portal for approved providers to record, on a weekly basis.

Providers are advised to refer to the updated My Aged Care Provider Portal User Guide: Part 1 Administrative Functions Section 2.6 (page 84) which provides the steps to report on workforce COVID-19 vaccination status.

See guidance documents from the Department of Health: COVID-19 vaccination – New reporting requirements for aged care 

COVID-19 digital certificate

Patients can get a COVID-19 digital certificate once they have received all required doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the required timeframe.

See How to get proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.

Vaccination providers must report vaccination information to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) so that patients can access their COVID-19 digital certificate, and as mandated by the Australian Immunisation Register Amendment (Reporting) Bill 2020. 

How PenCAT and POLAR can assist with COVID-19 vaccination

Have your most vulnerable patients received the COVID-19 vaccination?

Your Data Extraction Tool can help you with identifying high risk patients who have not yet been vaccinated for COVID-19, or who are due for their second vaccination.

Join us on Thursday 10^th June at 1.00pm for this online webinar, a step-by-step guide for PenCAT and POLAR users demonstrating how these tools can assist.

Click here to register for this webinar

The lunch and learn will be conducted in two parts:

• PenCAT from 1:00 to 1:15pm
• POLAR from 1:15 to 1:30pm.

This webinar assumes basic knowledge of your data extraction tool and is for experienced users only. 

COVID-19 live stream update for GPs

Join the latest COVID-19 vaccine live stream update for GPs.

The panel will provide latest key updates and answer participants’ questions live about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.  

Details:  Thursday 10 June, 11:30am (AEDT) | Click link to join

Get involved by submitting questions and comments!

Catch up on previous webinars  

New resources

COVID-19 vaccination – Common questions – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (8 June)

This document contains common questions and answers about the COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 vaccination – New reporting requirements for aged care (4 June)

This collection provides key information and guidance on reporting COVID-19 aged care workforce vaccinations which will be mandatory for residential aged care providers from 15 June 2021. The fact sheets are designed for both providers and workers.

Updated: COVID-19 vaccination – Consent form for COVID-19 vaccination (updated 4 June)

A patient consent form for COVID-19 vaccination.

COVID-19 vaccination – Disability provider alert (2 June)

This alert contains updates for disability service providers about the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.

COVID-19 vaccines – Explainer video on TTS

This video explains what TTS is and who is eligible to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine