The Victorian Government has announced it will train up to 1,000 new vaccinators, helping first-year health students, retired nurses, and more join an expanded workforce to be deployed across state-run centres and boost the state’s vaccination efforts.
Millions of Victorians will become eligible for their third dose over the coming weeks, and a new pool of trained-up vaccinators will mean a broader workforce is available to prepare and administer Covid-19 vaccines, while also freeing up health professionals to return to their normal duties.
Victorian Acting Minister for Health James Merlino said Covid-19 vaccinations are safe and effective – the best thing all Victorians can do to protect the health system and keep their families safe is get your third dose as soon as you’re eligible.
“Millions of Victorians will soon be eligible for their third dose, and we’re doing everything we can to ensure the community can access a vaccine as quickly and as safely as possible,” he said.
The expanded force will join nurse and pharmacist immunisers in state-run vaccination clinics for up to six months and will be supervised by experienced clinicians.
Known as Limited Scope Covid-19 Vaccinators, they will be required to successfully complete mandatory Commonwealth and Victorian Covid-19 vaccination training – equivalent to training requirements for other emergency authorised Covid-19 vaccination workforces.
They will not be responsible for establishing patient consent and will be authorised to administer the Covid-19 vaccine to people over the age of 18 years only.
The vaccinators will also be supported and supervised by a ‘supervising authorised immuniser’ provided by health services, with relevant skills and experience in the technical aspects of vaccination.
Applications will open in the week starting 17 January.
Victorians aged 18 years and older are eligible to get their third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine four months after their second dose. If you got your second dose in September or earlier, book an appointment through your local GP or pharmacy, or visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccine to book at a state-run clinic.
