![\"Metro](\"https:\/\/metronorth.health.qld.gov.au\/extranet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/04\/mn-health-incident-controller2.jpg\" "\\"Metro")
<\/span><\/div>07 July 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n Good\u00a0afternoon\u00a0colleagues,<\/p>\n A reminder that\u00a0all of our health\u00a0staff\u00a0are encouraged to take\u00a0full advantage of our COVID-19 vaccine offerings across Metro North Health facilities.\u00a0We are trying to make it as easy as possible for you all to receive your first and second vaccine with clinics open each day\u00a0at a range of locations.<\/p>\n As healthcare workers, you\u00a0are eligible for vaccination\u00a0and we are committed to prioritising you for vaccination with the available\u00a0vaccination stocks over the short term.\u00a0There is currently a temporary lull in the supply of vaccine, but I expect this will be back to high levels by the end of the month.\u00a0If you haven\u2019t had a vaccine yet,\u00a0please register your interest to get an appointment in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n Students.\u00a0<\/strong>From 8pm\u00a0tonight (7 July 2021), any student on a clinical placement who is not\u00a0fully vaccinated<\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>against COVID-19 will not be permitted to enter\u00a0Queensland Health\u00a0vulnerable facilities\u00a0that are\u00a0within a\u00a0Queensland COVID-19 restricted area<\/a>.\u00a0This includes\u00a0all public\u00a0hospitals, residential aged care, disability accommodation and correctional centres\u00a0within our Health Service.\u00a0Of course, students who can provide evidence of being fully vaccinated can continue their placements as usual, as long as they follow all of the other restrictions and PPE requirements during that placement.<\/p>\n Students undertaking clinical placements are eligible to be vaccinated as they are considered Phase 1b, so please\u00a0direct them to the\u00a0vaccine website<\/a>\u00a0so that they can register and book a vaccination in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n Residential Aged Care Workers<\/strong>.\u00a0From\u00a017 September 2021<\/strong>,\u00a0COVID-19 vaccination will be mandatory for all residential aged care workers.\u00a0 This means that\u00a0workers will need to have a minimum of\u00a0one dose<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0of the COVID-19 vaccine\u00a0to work in that facility. This is a\u00a0Commonwealth requirement<\/a>\u00a0that I anticipate will be reflected in the\u00a0relevant\u00a0Chief Health Officer direction in the short term.\u00a0This is in addition to the\u00a0requirement\u00a0to have the influenza vaccine on entry. September is not far away (if you can believe it!) so if you\u00a0have any questions about getting your COVID-19 vaccine, and work in our aged care facilities, please have a chat to your line manager,\u00a0local Emergency Operating Centre (EOC)\u00a0or your GP.<\/p>\n Vaccination clarification \u2013 which vaccination?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Therapeutic Goods Administration advises that your second dose of vaccine must match your first dose of vaccine. If you are under the age of 60 and have already received your first dose of AstraZeneca with no severe adverse events, you should continue to receive your second AstraZeneca dose. To get the full benefit of the vaccine, you need two injections.<\/p>\n Vaccination clinic staff are required to check the Australian Immunisation Register to determine if you have had your first dose and are required to give the same vaccine for your second dose. You are unable to change vaccines between your first and second dose unless you have a severe adverse event to your first dose and have been referred to our specialist vaccination service.<\/p>\n Checking-in clarification<\/strong><\/p>\n A reminder to not only check-in each day when you arrive at work\u00a0using the\u00a0Check In Qld<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0App, but\u00a0to re-check-in if you have left the building and are returning (for example, on your return from lunch).\u00a0 This creates\u00a0a \u2018history\u2019 of movements that you can consult or can be accessed in case of one of our hospitals\u00a0has an area that is\u00a0declared as an exposure venue.\u00a0I have found this to be much more reliable than \u2018memory\u2019 – check out the \u2018history\u2019 feature now by clicking on the three little lines at the top left of your app, and clicking on \u2018history\u2019.<\/p>\n The app is a critical tool used in contact tracing and in the event we require it, your vigilance in checking in\u00a0upon entry each and every time\u00a0<\/u>will make a huge difference.<\/p>\n