Focus on aged care vaccinations as fears grow Victoria’s COVID-19 outbreak will worsen
The Commonwealth’s vaccine rollout for aged care residents and workers is back under the spotlight as Victoria’s lockdown worsens.
Eleven new cases have been recorded in Victoria today, including two aged care employees and a 99-year-old resident.
One of the positive cases, an Arcare Aged Care worker, did not receive the first dose on May 12 when other staff were receiving the jab, as she was on personal leave at the time.
Following the three confirmed cases in aged care in Melbourne, Health Minister Greg Hunt said a review would be conducted into compulsory vaccinations for aged care staff.
“In relation to mandating for aged care workers, that had been previously looked at by the Chief Health Officers’ of the states, along with the Commonwealth,” he said.
“The Prime Minister and myself have asked the medical expert panel to review that decision, that was not recommended at the time.
“We have asked the medical expert panel to review precisely that question.”
The Health Minister said some aged care residents had not agreed to receive the jab, and implored those people to rethink their decision.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd confirmed for someone to be considered “fully vaccinated” they needed to have the two required jabs, but said having the first dose had “protective benefits”.
The Federal Government’s vaccine rollout has come under fire recently for being too slow as Victorians have set out in droves to get a jab amid the latest outbreak.
Last week, Mr Hunt said 85 per cent of aged care residents have taken up vaccines.
Today, he said “100 per cent of aged care facilities in Victoria have been vaccinated”, and there were six facilities nationwide that haven’t had a first dose yet.
“At this stage we have had over 4000 visits to aged care facilities, we have worked on making sure that there is the consent from all of the families or the individuals themselves,” Mr Hunt said.
“We really want to encourage all of the families and guardians of those that have not chosen to take up their vaccinations, of where consent is not been provided by families, to please reconsider.”
At least four aged care homes in Victoria are under an additional lockdown, including Arcare, with residents confined to their rooms and staff wearing additional PPE.
Families of those in homes are understandably worried about their loved ones.
Melbourne man Tony visited his father Peter at Arcare in Maidstone today and said he was very concerned.
“We’re all worried, we just don’t know what the future holds, it starts with one and then just multiplies,” he said.
Last year in the peak of the pandemic, 655 Victorian aged care residents sadly passed away.
One of those was Maria Vasilakos, and her son Spiros said the possibility of another aged care outbreak is devastating and more should have been done to protect the elderly.
“I’m actually astounded, astounded that 12 months down the track, no lessons have been learned,” he said.
