Page 704 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 5 April 2022
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international borders open, Canberrans may be vulnerable to a resurgence of influenza. This concern is exacerbated due to the prevalence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the ACT community.
People aged 65 years and older, those who live in aged-care and disability accommodation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and older, and anyone over the age of 16 who is severely immunocompromised is eligible for an additional dose. ATAGI recommends these people come forward to receive a winter booster four months after their last booster dose. Pleasingly, Canberrans have already begun making appointments to receive their winter dose vaccination which has been made available through ACT government clinics, GPs and pharmacies across Canberra since 4 April.
ATAGI advise that co-administration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines is safe and offers community members the best protection against serious respiratory illness during winter. In the coming weeks, the ACT government will make further announcements about access to flu vaccines for vulnerable Canberrans. In the meantime, I encourage all Canberrans stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination and to access a flu vaccine as soon as you are able.
The ACT government’s equity to access program continues to make a vital contribution to our vaccination program. The program ensures that every member of our community can be vaccinated and protected against COVID-19, regardless of their personal circumstances. The ACT Health Directorate has continued to work with community sector partners and healthcare providers to identify areas of the community where targeted programs and assistance are needed.
Throughout March, the program has administered 315 vaccine doses, primarily boosters, at locations including specialist schools, Commonwealth Park, during Canberra Day celebrations, Boomanulla Oval, Kambah, Turner and Gungahlin. Clinics will continue throughout April and locations will be promoted on ACT Health social media pages in advance. These clinics play an important role in making vaccination accessible to people who find it difficult to travel to the AIS or other vaccination clinics. Canberra Health Services also continues to offer in-reach vaccination to patients in settings such as hospitals, mental health units, dialysis centres, adult incarceration centres, disability hubs and methadone clinics. As I have said before, equity is a core value of this government, and this program is well and truly delivering that.
Madam Speaker, a review of public health social measures and test, trace, isolate and quarantine has recently been undertaken by the Acting Chief Health Officer to ensure that restrictions remain proportionate to the risk being managed. The Acting Chief Health Officer concluded that most measures in place are proportionate for the current situation. However, some additional changes have been implemented to existing restrictions. These changes seek to implement revised national advice, to streamline administrative processes and to align with New South Wales, where appropriate and necessary.
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