News

COVID-19 Vaccination information and resources for GPs

Published 20 January 2022

A range of information resources are provided here to support GPs as they vaccinate patients and care for COVID-19 patients in the community.

Department of Health resources:

Medicare Support in Response to Omicron - GP and Other Medical Officer (OMP) Longer Telephone Consultation Factsheet– Information for the use of item numbers 92746 (for GPs) and 92747 (for OMPs).

MBS COVID-19 Management Support Service Factsheet

Managing COVID-19 at Home - Resources for patients and healthcare professionals

With a highly vaccinated population, most COVID-positive people are unlikely to get severely unwell or require hospitalisation and will be able to manage their symptoms at home – where clinically safe and appropriate to do so. These tools can help people living with COVID to know what actions they may need to take and when they may need to seek further medical help. The Department of Health has also provided links to a range of clinical guidelines published by the RACGP and the National COVID-19 Evidence Taskforce to support GPs to manage and monitor their COVID-positive patients in the community.

 

Booster Interval

On 24 December 2021, the ATAGI released a statement around boosters being shortened from six months to four months.

As part of this advice, ATAGI also advised that when practical, this should be shortened to three months.

The Australian Government announced boosters set 31 January as the expected date from which that would occur, allowing time for those in the four month category to be prioritsed.

It has been an option for primary care to implement this earlier if practical, in line with the ATAGI advice.

This week, a number of state governments announced booster doses would be available after three months at state run clinics as they have capacity and available bookings.

All primary care vaccination sites may also provide boosters at 3 months if there are appointments available.

Please continue to prioritise high risk populations, older people, aged care residents,

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, aged care, disability & health care workers, people with disability and those with underlying medical conditions.

Please continue with Pfizer 5-11 vaccinations as per normal, the changes to booster intervals do not change this cohort of the Program Roll-out.

 

Administering doses to paediatric cohorts

Health practitioners are reminded to complete the relevant training (Pfizer (COMIRNATY) Paediatric (5 to <12 Years) COVID-19 Vaccine Training Module) before vaccinating paediatric groups as doses are different from adolescents/adults.

A standalone resource has been developed for parents/guardians of children aged 5 to 11 years which includes information about COVID-19 vaccination and a consent form for this cohort, available here: COVID-19 vaccine information and consent form for parents and guardians of children aged 5 to 11 years | Australian Government Department of Health

Multi-dose vial guidance has also been updated to reflect the Comirnaty (Pfizer) paediatric formulation and is available here:  COVID-19 vaccination –  ATAGI guidance on the use of multi-dose vials for COVID-19 vaccination | Australian Government Department of Health

 

For everyone:

National Coronavirus Hotline

1800 020 080

For information about COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccines – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Vaccine Clinic Finder

Book a COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic near you that suits your needs.

COVID Symptom Checker

Find out if you need to get tested or seek medical help.

Restriction Checker

Find out what you can and can’t do in your state or territory.

Managing Mild COVID-19 at Home with Assistance from your GP

For patients who have tested positive to COVID-19 and are being cared for at home with assistance from their GP.

Healthdirect Australia

Guidance for people that have tested positive to COVID-19, including links to specific information for states and territories.

Vaccine Side Effect Checker

Check any side effects after your vaccination.

 

For healthcare professionals:

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners  (RACGP)

Information for GPs and their patients to manage their ongoing health and social issues amid the pandemic, including home-based care guidelines. These guidelines include:

 

Guidelines for assessment and risk stratification of  COVID-positive people - National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce

Evidence-based clinical guidelines for Australia’s healthcare professionals, including clinical flowcharts.

Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA)

National advice and guidance for public health units responding to a notifiable disease event, including links to specific information for states and territories.

 

Guidance on Ordering and PPE Distribution via PHNs

For information on what PPE is available and how to order please contact your local PHN.

Guidance on the use of PPE for Health Care Workers

Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers in the context of COVID-19.

 

Videos on PPE Usage:

 

Guidance on Community Care Pathways and Patient Escalation

For information on how to escalate COVID-positive patients in your care, please contact your PHN for details of their community care pathway.

Find your local Primary Health Network

 

Media Releases

 

The Department of Health has also published several collections of resources about COVID-19 vaccination, vaccine rollout, and clinical guidance from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). These resources are updated when new information is available, so GPs should ensure they have access to the latest versions.

 

Allocations for Comirnaty (Pfizer) (5 to 11 years) vaccine

Since 10 January 2022, over 141 thousand children between the ages of 5 to 11 years old across

Australia have received their first dose of Comirnaty (Pfizer) (5 to 11 years) vaccine.

The Taskforce acknowledges that some providers would like to receive larger orders of Pfizer (5 to 11 years). The Taskforce is currently reviewing and identifying opportunities to increase dose allocations. At this stage, the Vaccine Operations Centre is not able to assist with these requests.

If you require vaccine stock urgently, the Taskforce encourages you to reach out to any nearby vaccination sites administering COVID-19 vaccines who may have excess doses available for redistribution.

All primary care providers who have requested an increase have been noted and the Taskforce will provide further communications regarding this shortly.

 

Reporting a Pfizer (5 to 11 years) Vaccination in the AIR

In November 2021, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advised that there was no change to the reporting requirements to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) for Pfizer with the introduction of the 5 to 11 year old age group.

When reporting the administration of a Comirnaty (Pfizer) dose to children aged 5 to 11 years, vaccination providers should report using the vaccine code: COMIRN, as they would for all other age groups.

As providers are aware, it is mandatory for all vaccination providers to report to the AIR all COVID 19 vaccinations administrated on or after 20 February 2021.

Vaccine providers should use the latest version of their clinical software to make sure they meet reporting requirements. The Department of Health will continue to work with Services Australia to help software developers and vaccination providers meet their reporting obligations.

 

Administering doses to paediatric cohorts

Health practitioners are reminded to complete the relevant training (Pfizer (COMIRNATY) Paediatric (5 to <12 Years) COVID-19 Vaccine Training Module) before vaccinating paediatric groups as doses are different from adolescents/adults.

A standalone resource has been developed for parents/guardians of children aged 5 to 11 years which includes information about COVID-19 vaccination and a consent form for this cohort, available here: COVID-19 vaccine information and consent form for parents and guardians of children aged 5 to 11 years | Australian Government Department of Health

Multi-dose vial guidance has also been updated to reflect the Comirnaty (Pfizer) paediatric formulation and is available here:  COVID-19 vaccination –  ATAGI guidance on the use of multi-dose vials for COVID-19 vaccination | Australian Government Department of Health

 

Ordering

A reminder the normal ordering cycle for all vaccines resumed on 1 January 2022 and all sites ordering are now reset to a fortnightly ordering cycle.


Appointments

While there is currently increased demand for appointments, there is also increased demand for deliveries. Practices are reminded that where they have requested additional orders, they should not book appointments until confirmation of additional doses has been received.

 

VOC Holiday Opening Hours

The Vaccine Operations Centre (VOC) operating hours will continue in a reduced schedule of 7am to 9pm (AEDT) from Saturday 18 December 2021 to Sunday 30 January 2022.

 Enquiries can still be made to the VOC during these reduced hours on 1800 318 208 or emailing covid19vaccineoperationscentre@health.gov.au.

 

Pfizer and Moderna – thaw use-by date vs manufacture

It is vital that sites are aware of the differences between the thaw use-by date and the manufacture expiry date for the mRNA vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer):

  • The manufacture expiry date on the vial indicates the expiry for that batch of the product.
  • The thaw/defrost use-by date is the final date that the product can be used after it has been removed from the freezer or ultra-low storage to commence thawing.

Whichever date is earliest is the latest date the vaccines can be administered to a patient.

 All sites should have clearly labelled and visible thaw use-by dates for each vial – noting these will be different for subsequent deliveries. Both the thaw use-by dates and the manufacture expiry date should be checked prior to every vaccine administration.

Please ensure your site has clear processes to identify and action these dates to prevent vaccine administration errors.

 

Vaccine Clinic Finder update

There is a scheduled update to the Commonwealth’s  Vaccine Clinic Finder (VCF)e to take place COB Monday 10th January 2022.

Changes include:

  • An update to eligibility: all people in Australia aged 5 years or older will be eligible for free COVID-19 vaccination (as at 10th January 2022)
  • An update to messaging regarding interval duration for boosters and third doses as per recent ATAGI announcements.

 

Requirements for workers in health care settings who are exposed to COVID-19

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), with advice from the Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) and the Infection Control Expert Group (ICEG), has endorsed a Worker Permissions and Restrictions Framework for Workers in Health Care Settings.

The framework outlines nationally agreed recommendations that will support safe decision making when determining appropriate workplace restrictions and permissions for a worker exposed to COVID-19. The framework provides guidance on how GPs and practice staff can avoid having to isolate after a patient who attended the practice later tests positive to COVID-19.

The Worker Permissions and Restrictions Framework is available here.

 

Vaccine product information

  • ATAGI and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) have released joint guidance on the risk of myocarditis and pericarditis following Pfizer vaccination following an observed risk in overseas studies, especially in males under 30 years of age after the second doses. The Pfizer Product Information has been updated to reflect this.
  • The Product Information (PI) for the AstraZeneca vaccine has been updated to include Capillary Leak Syndrome (CLS) as a contraindication for the AstraZeneca vaccine. Providers should be aware of the information contained in the PI and individuals with a known history of CLS should not be vaccinated with AstraZeneca.

 

Consent forms

  1. Consent form: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-consent-form-for-covid-19-vaccination

 

Patient information sheets

  1. Information on AstraZeneca: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-information-on-covid-19-astrazeneca-vaccine
  2. Information on Pfizer: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-information-on-covid-19-pfizer-comirnaty-vaccine
  3. Information on Spikevax (Moderna): https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-information-on-spikevax-moderna-covid-19-vaccine
  4. After your AstraZeneca: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-after-your-astrazeneca-vaccine
  5. After your Pfizer: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-after-your-pfizer-comirnaty-vaccine
  6. After your Spikevax (Moderna): https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-after-your-spikevax-moderna-vaccine
  7. Provider information on consent: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-consent-information-for-providers-covid-19-vaccination-consent-and-faqs
  8. Frequently asked questions on the Taskforce Ivermectin recommendation: https://covid19evidence.net.au/wp-content/uploads/NC19CET-Ivermectin-FAQs-20210826.pdf

 

Clinical guidance and decision guides

  1. ATAGI Clinical guidance: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-atagi-clinical-guidance-on-covid-19-vaccine-in-australia-in-2021
  2. COVID-19 vaccine – Clinical considerations: https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines/information-for-covid-19-vaccination-providers/covid-19-vaccine-clinical-considerations
  3. Selection of second dose in specific circumstances: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-clinical-advice-on-the-use-of-a-different-covid-19-vaccine-as-the-second-dose
  4. Shared decision making guide – pregnancy: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-shared-decision-making-guide-for-women-who-are-pregnant-breastfeeding-or-planning-pregnancy
  5. Shared decision making guide – frail older people: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-shared-decision-making-guide-for-frail-older-people-including-those-in-residential-aged-care-facilities 
  6. Shared decision making guide – palliative care: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-shared-decision-making-guide-for-people-receiving-palliative-care-or-end-of-life-care 
  7. Shared decision making guide – immunocompromise: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/atagi-covid-19-vaccination-shared-decision-making-guide-for-people-with-immunocompromise
  8. Provider guide on immunocompromise: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/atagi-provider-guide-to-covid-19-vaccination-of-people-with-immunocompromise
  9. Primary care guide on TTS: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-primary-care-approach-to-thrombosis-with-thrombocytopenia-syndrome-after-covid-19-astrazeneca-vaccine
  10. Provider information – TTS: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-information-for-immunisation-providers-on-thrombosis-with-thrombocytopenia-syndrome-tts-following-covid-19-vaccination  
  11. Patient information – TTS: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/patient-information-sheet-on-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-and-thrombosis-with-thrombocytopenia-syndrome-tts
  12. COVID-19 vaccination – Guide to engage and support aged care workers to get a COVID-19 vaccine: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-vaccination-guide-to-engage-and-support-aged-care-workers-to-get-a-covid-19-vaccine

 

Resources for doctors working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients

  • Updated guidance on TGA advertising restrictions, explaining how you can inform your patients about different vaccine brands availability in your clinic. This includes social, posters and web content.
  • A video animation in plain English that could be sent to your patients’ emails or used in your clinic waiting room explaining what to expect on your vaccination day, side effects and the need for two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • A suite of talking points designed for healthcare workers, to assist them with having conversations with patients about COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Updated social resources with suggested captions to use across your social media networks

 

Resources for doctors about pregnancy

 

Existing resources

 

Members are also reminded that if you are part of the vaccine roll out and have any problems, the key point of contact in the Commonwealth to raise these is the Vaccine Operations Centre (VOC) that can be contacted on:

Phone: 1800 318 308

Email: COVID19VaccineOperationsCentre@health.gov.au

Note: The VOC hours of operation are between 7am to 10pm (AEDT).

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