The state government will train up to 1000 new vaccinators, helping first-year health students, retired nurses and more people to join an expanded workforce to be deployed across state-run COVID-19 vaccination centres.
Millions of Victorians will become eligible for their third dose over the coming weeks, and the new pool of trained-up vaccinators will mean a broader workforce is available to prepare and administer vaccines, while also freeing up health professionals to return to their normal duties.
Acting Health Minister James Merlino said: “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.”
The expanded workforce will join nurse and pharmacist immunisers in state-run COVID 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 federal and state COVID-19 vaccination training – equivalent to training requirements for other emergency authorised COVID-19 vaccination workforces.
They will also complete a COVID-19 Clinical Skills and Competencies Assessment to ensure they can perform their duties.
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.
During the next few months, Victorians with appropriate knowledge, skills and experience will be encouraged to join the COVID-19 vaccinator workforce as required.
Victorians with experience working in a health or community service setting, or who are enrolled in a health-related course, are being encouraged to apply for the roles.
Applications will open in the week starting Monday, January 17.
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 2021 or earlier, book an appointment through your local GP or pharmacy, or visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccine to book at a state-run clinic.
Details: coronavirus.vic.gov.au or call 1800 675 398.
