THE Hunter's aged care workforce will have better access to COVID-19 vaccines when a specially dedicated vaccination hub begins operating in Sandgate on Tuesday.
The clinic will not be open to the general public, but aims to ensure local residential aged care workers can be vaccinated before the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccination becomes a mandatory requirement from September 17. It comes after COVID-19 leaked into three Hunter aged care facilities.
All residential aged care workers in the Hunter will be able to receive the Pfizer vaccine, irrespective of their age.
A government spokesperson said the dedicated hubs would complement on-site clinics at aged care facilities, and were "located in catchment areas" to give residential aged care workers greater flexibility to ensure all shift workers had easy access to vaccination.
Residential aged care workers can confirm their eligibility for vaccination at the Sandgate hub by providing proof of identity, a letter from their employer, a Medicare card and a current work ID card or payslip confirming they are currently employed at a residential aged care facility.
As of August 16, 97 per cent of NSW residential aged care services have reported on workforce vaccination since weekly reporting became mandatory on June 15.
"Of the total 82,166 workers reported in NSW to date, 54,404 have received a first dose (66 per cent) and, of those, 37,943 have had a second (46 per cent)."
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