Flu vaccination requirements for aged care facilities
Summary:
1. Will all visitors need to be vaccinated? Yes
Entry to residential aged care facilities is restricted to people who have had a current flu vaccination. This applies to:
- staff
- visitors
- health practitioners
- volunteers, and
- other people entering the facility (e.g. cleaners, tradesman, gardeners and maintenance staff).
2. Will aged care providers ask a visitor or worker to prove they are vaccinated? Yes
Aged care providers must sight appropriate evidence of immunisation status from visitors and workers. Appropriate evidence may be:
- a statement or record from a health practitioner
- an immunisation history statement available from Medicare online
- the Express Plus Medicare mobile app
3. Will residents still have the right to refuse vaccination? Yes
4. What happens if staff are not able to be vaccinated?
Some states and territories have exemptions to the entry restrictions (check links below).
The only absolute contraindications to flu vaccines are:
- anaphylaxis after a previous flu vaccine
- anaphylaxis after any part of a flu vaccine
Each state and territory has directions about entering residential aged care facilities. The directions give effect to the recommendations of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, endorsed by the National Cabinet.
The directions are available on the following websites:
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Western Australia
- Tasmania
- Australian Capital Territory
- Northern Territory
Source: Dept Health fact sheet 05/06/2020
