From 17 September 2021, COVID-19 vaccination will be mandatory for all residential aged care workers. Residential aged care workers will be required to have received a minimum first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by this time.
It will be a condition of working in a residential aged care facility through shared state, territory and Commonwealth authorities and compliance measures. This is based on advice from the medical experts, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) and was agreed by the National Cabinet on 28 June 2021.
Residential aged care providers are required to provide weekly reports through My Aged Care on the:
• total number of workers and residents at each residential aged care service, and of those
• the number of workers and residents at each service who have received a single dose of a
COVID-19 vaccine
• the numbers of workers and residents at each service who have received all required doses
of a COVID-19 vaccine
How to access a COVID-19 vaccination
Residential aged care workers, irrespective of age, are eligible to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Workers can also choose to be vaccinated with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. GPs can continue to administer AstraZeneca to Australians under 60 years of age with informed consent.
Residential aged care workers can access a COVID-19 vaccine through:
On-site Provider and GP clinics: Residential aged care providers can conduct their own Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination clinics for their workforce, or consult with their Primary Health Network to organise a GP-run on-site clinic.
- Residential aged care workers can also get vaccinated onsite through GP-run clinics at your facility. More than 1,300 general practices will be administering Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines from July 2021.
Primary care clinics: Residential aged care workers can access a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, or an AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, at a general practice, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service or Commonwealth Vaccination Clinic (GP respiratory clinics).
All primary care clinics should book a vaccination appointment for residential aged care workers to be within 14 days of the request in July. From August, bookings should be made within 7 days of the request.
More than 1,300 general practices will begin administering Pfizer vaccines from July 2021. In addition, participating pharmacies will be administering Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines.
Refer to the eligibility checker for available clinics in your state and territory.
Support for residential aged care workers
The Commonwealth is providing $11 million to support residential aged care workers and providers to support access and additional leave for workers requiring the vaccine.
The Residential Aged Care COVID-19 Employee Vaccination Support Grant program will enable residential aged care workers to receive a vaccine at off-site vaccination centres and general practices.
