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Geelong aged care homes seize control of vaccine rollout

TLC Healthcare, which has facilities in Geelong, says it will be the first residential aged care provider to fully vaccinate its residents, staff and contractors against COVID-19.

The provider’s facilities include Homestead Estate in Wallington, where 144 residents have been fully vaccinated, while 175 staff and contractors have received their first dose.

TLC also operates Warralily Gardens in Armstrong Creek, where 320 first doses have been distributed, and The Belmont in Belmont, where more than 300 first doses have been administered.

Across its network, the provider has distributed more than 3850 first doses and more than 380 second doses.

TLC said it anticipated delays in the federal government’s vaccination rollout across residential aged care as early as February.

It provided the Department of Health with a formal proposal to administer phase 1A of the program itself.

Using its immunisation nurses and general practitioners, TLC has ensured its residents, staff and contractors across its 11 residential aged care homes in Melbourne and Geelong will be fully vaccinated before winter.

It has administered the first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to its entire network.

TLC Healthcare chief executive Lou Pascuzzi said there had been a 91.2 per cent average take-up rate of the vaccine across residents, staff and contractors.

“Most of those not participating are as a result of their clinical profile, or other personal reasons,” Mr Pascuzzi said.

TLC said it was the only residential aged care provider to receive approval from the Department of Health to directly administer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to its residents, staff and contractors, as part of the Phase 1A rollout of the national vaccination program.

Mr Pascuzzi said TLC’s vaccination program began in March, and was due to be completed on May 4.

TLC’s strategy of integrating medical centres into its residential aged care homes over the past seven years has been the cornerstone of its COVID-19 response.

“We have integrated community medical centres into all 11 of our aged care homes across Melbourne and Geelong,” Mr Pascuzzi said.

“This gives TLC the unique ability to directly administer vaccines through our TLC Primary Care medical team; and has increased the speed, efficiency and safety of the vaccine’s delivery.

“Our medical team includes specialist immunisation nurses who are drawing six, rather than the expected five, doses from each Pfizer vial.

“This efficiency is providing a surplus of doses, which have been offered to our high-acuity community patients.

“We have also been able to offer surplus doses to people who regularly visit our aged care residents, and the families of our staff and contractors.

“Vaccinating these close contacts further reduces the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak at a TLC site, and reduces vaccine wastage.”