No doubt you have heard news reports about COVID-19 vaccinations being rolled out in Australia this year. This of course is good news, with a community vaccination program set to form an important cornerstone of our national COVID response.

The Federal Government is working with state governments to determine details of the vaccination program but a precise timeline and process is yet to be announced.

What we do know is that the rollout, fast-tracked to begin mid-February, will be conducted in three phases, beginning with 1.4 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech candidate for priority populations. This commencement is subject to approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

Priority will be given to front-line health workers, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

Immunization is an important part of Australia’s approach to managing the COVID-19 pandemic. We encourage ALL patients to take part in vaccination.

Anyone concerned about the vaccination and its effect on underlying health conditions should consult their GP.

There is nothing you need to do at this stage. The government will provide more detail once it is available and Eastbrooke will ensure that patients are notified.

More info about immunisation can be found here https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/immunisation. The Australian Government Department of Health also provides information on the COVID-19 vaccines and roll out at https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines/about-covid-19-vaccines