Nurses lined up for jabs

Hunt reveals training program

NURSES and healthcare staff are being prepped for the rollout of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine program, with extra training and additional staff being mobilised.

The federal government will on Thursday announce a new plan for a coronavirus “vaccine workforce” to aid existing immunisation cohorts across the country and ensure the healthcare system is prepared for a surge in demand.

The workforce will be tasked with supporting services at hospitals, GP clinics and state and federal vaccination centres, as well as outreach programs in aged care and Indigenous communities.

Staff will not be allowed to administer the vaccines without first completing mandatory training, which will include specialist information on how to handle the Pfizer vaccine, which needs to be stored at minus 70C.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said Australia was in an “incredibly fortunate position” to have been able to watch and learn from countries overseas, including the UK and US, about how best to rollout the vaccine.

Mr Hunt said a “critical requirements” was having enough staff prepared and ready to administer the jab.

“This is a position which we

have all worked hard to achieve, by following the health advice and suppressing the spread of the virus in our community,” he said.

“Our vaccination strategy requires the highest levels of operational readiness . . . we are ensuring the workforce is there to administer the vaccines in an efficient manner, particularly to our priority groups.”

The additional numbers, which will be dependent on demand and resources, will stem from four providers: Aspen Medical, Healthcare Australia, International SOS and Sonic Clinical Services.

Meanwhile, the Australian College of Nursing will lead the vaccine training. The next step will be to gauge interest from general practices and pharmacists.