While AHPPC strongly encourages COVID-19 vaccination, at this time AHPPC does not recommend mandating COVID-19 vaccination for the aged care workforce at this stage.
Evidence about effectiveness of the vaccines in preventing transmission is not yet available. In addition, there is not yet a clear date by which all residents, staff, visitors and carers will have had an opportunity to be vaccinated. It is anticipated that as the vaccine rollout begins in Australia and continues overseas, additional data on the effectiveness of the vaccine in reducing transmission will become available.
AHPPC will continue to monitor the situation and provide advice to National Cabinet.
AHPPC believes that the initial focus should be on strongly encouraging and facilitating the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination by the aged care workforce.
AHPPC agrees that all available interventions should be relied on to maximise influenza vaccine coverage for the aged care workforce, aged care residents and their carers. This could include, where appropriate, influenza vaccination through Public Health Orders similar to those applied in 2020.
