The results of the AGPA survey on COVID in the Community – GP Care indicates that most GPs consider the risks to their Practices and other patients to be too high and they are too busy with the regular roles of General Practice; so they not intending to participate in the program.
ATAGI have made a number of recent statements which are important for Practices participating in the COVID vaccination program.
Following submissions and lobbying via forums such as the PCIG and Senate inquiries two of the issues on the AGPA agenda have had positive responses from the Commonwealth Government.
On 8 October 2021 the DoH released a framework for work permissions and restrictions framework for workers who have been exposed to COVID-19 in a healthcare setting.
This framework supports safe decision making when determining whether to place work permissions/restrictions, independent of quarantine, on a worker after a COVID-19 exposure in a health care setting in the context of an outbreak and community transmission of COVID-19.
The Framework is here
Over 34 M Vaccine doses have been administered to date.
Over 50% have been administered by General Practice
Department of Health – Primary Health Care COVID-19 Response Teleconference 20 October 2021 – Meeting notes from Dr Maria Boulton
The Primary Care Implementation Group (PCIG) is an online meeting that includes most primary healthcare peak bodies. It is convened weekly by the Department of Health as part of the COVID-19 response. Dr Maria Boulton attends on behalf of the AGPA. Read more
29.97 M vaccines have been administered at 7 October 2021
16.3 M Vaccines have been administered by Commonwealth supported Primary Health Care, 15.38 M by GP
The full progress report to 8 October is here
ATAGI ADVICE
8 October
Third COVID-19 vaccine as part of primary course for severely immunocompromised individuals
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has released a statement recommending a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine as part of the primary course in individuals who are severely immunocompromised.
The ATAGI statement is here
Department of Health – Primary Health Care COVID-19 Response Teleconference 8 October 2021 – Meeting notes from Dr Maria Boulton
The Primary Care Implementation Group (PCIG) is an online meeting that includes most primary healthcare peak bodies. It is convened weekly by the Department of Health as part of the COVID-19 response. Dr Maria Boulton attends on behalf of the AGPA. Read more
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee ( AHPPC) has issued a statement on mandatory vaccination of all workers in health care settings.
Statement issued 1 October 2021:
AHPPC recommends mandatory vaccinations for all workers in health care settings as a condition of work.
Further, AHPPC recommends the first dose of a TGA approved COVID-19 vaccine by 30 October 2021 and a second dose by 15 December 2021.