Doctors now able to give COVID-19 vaccinations in homes and residential facilities

A deal has been reached with doctors to visit people at home or in aged care or disability residential facilities to deliver COVID-19 vaccines.

Minister for Health Greg Hunt.

Minister for Health Greg Hunt says GPs have been given the green light to visit people at home or in disability or aged care facilities to vaccinate. Source: AAP

GPs have been given the green light to visit people at home or in disability or aged care facilities, in a bid to fast-track the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

So far 5.9 million vaccinations have been provided nationally, but there are still concerns many of the most vulnerable Australians have not been vaccinated.

Health Minister Greg Hunt told reporters on Monday the government had reached agreement with medical groups on a home visitation payment program with a specific Medicare item.

Doctors would be able to visit elderly, frail or immobile people in their homes or in residential facilities.

"That in-home visitation fee will exist to provide access for all of Australia's 30,000-plus GPs to choose if they so wish to be part of the program," Mr Hunt said.
The minister said all aged care facilities had now received a first dose visit and 94 per cent of facilities had received second dose visits.

Roving clinics were also being rolled out to aged care facilities to offer those who initially did not agree to jabs to receive them.

Morrison defends coronavirus strategy at G7

It comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended the nation's strategy of aggressive COVID-19 suppression while overseas.

The prime minister attended the G7 summit in Cornwall in the UK as an observer and told reporters he would "rather be living in the arrangements we have in Australia than anywhere else in the world".
Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the G7 Summit in Carbis Bay, Britain, 12 June 2021.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the G7 Summit in Carbis Bay, Britain, 12 June 2021. Source: AAP
Australia's suppression strategy has kept the nation's borders closed and seen states go into lockdown over a handful of cases.

Mr Morrison said that the UK, despite a high vaccination rate, was still recording high numbers of new cases.

"At this stage of the pandemic, it is not clear where it goes next ... (given) the potential for new strains and other things to occur," he said.
While Australians can't travel overseas, Mr Morrison said they could "go to sporting games, or they can go to work, they can live in an economy that is bigger today than it was before".

Victoria recorded two new local cases of COVID-19 on Monday, both children who are close contacts of previous cases and have not been in the community while infectious.

Meanwhile, residents of a townhouse complex in Melbourne's CBD are being ordered to isolate for up to a fortnight after authorities established a link between two coronavirus cases who live there.


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3 min read
Published 14 June 2021 4:53pm
Source: AAP, SBS



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