The increase comes after the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) put aged care providers "on notice" in June, warning them "there is no excuse for any residential aged care service to be under-prepared for COVID-19", and saying they will make unannounced visits to aged care homes that allow vaccination rates to languish.
ACQSC Commissioner Janet Anderson and the Department of Health and Aged Care's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, wrote to the Chairs of aged care provider boards in May, warning of an increase in the number of COVID-19 and flu cases in residential aged care. They urged them to keep vaccinations up to date.
More than half (51.5%) of aged care residents have now received a COVID-19 vaccination in the last six months, after more than 23,000 residents received their shot in the month to 7 August, compared with only 12,000 for the month to 27 June, according to data from the Australian Government's Department of Health and Aged Care.
The vaccination rate has increased by more than one-third (34%) since the warning but still nearly half of aged care residents are not vaccinated in line with Australian Government recommendations.
For people aged 75 and older, the age of most aged care residents, COVID-19 vaccinations are recommended every six months.
In the week to 8 August 2024, more than 1,000 aged care residents contracted COVID-19 , and 21 residents died from the virus. 195 aged care facilities were affected by outbreaks.
