31 January 2022

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccines: Update on booster vaccinations via booster in-reach program

Rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination booster in-reach program in eligible residential accommodation settings is underway. Eligible providers are strongly encouraged to participate in the booster rollout program and ensure people with disability are supported to access a COVID-19 vaccine booster.

Key points

• The Department of Health is rolling out the COVID-19 vaccination booster in-reach program in eligible residential accommodation settings.
• Providers that received in-reach support for primary course doses of a COVID-19 vaccination will be contacted by a Commonwealth vaccination provider to organise a booster in-reach clinic. Providers should promptly schedule booster dose clinics when they are contacted.
• If you received in-reach support for primary course doses and have not yet been contacted by a Commonwealth vaccination provider or the NDIA regarding booster vaccinations, you should contact the Department of Health.
• COVID-19 booster doses are recommended for anyone aged 18 and older who completed their primary course of COVID-19 vaccination at least 4 or more months ago. Refer to the Department of Health website for more information regarding COVID-19 vaccine boosters.

Booster in-reach program

Providers continue to play a vital role in providing people with disability in the NDIS with accurate and accessible information about vaccination against COVID-19 and in supporting people with disability to receive the vaccine, including a booster dose, when they need support to do so. 

Vaccination against COVID-19 is particularly important for people with disability, many of whom are at greater risk of severe illness arising from a COVID-19 infection, suffering long-term impacts due to pre-existing health conditions. The timely receipt of a booster dose is particularly important for people with risk factors for severe disease and for people with increased risk of exposure to infection.

Booster doses are available through Commonwealth vaccination providers and other channels such as a GP, pharmacy, or state or territory vaccination clinic.

Providers should take all steps to assist participants that they support to access the vaccination where they need assistance to do so, including boosters.

It is a key priority to ensure that all people with disability living in group accommodation settings are supported to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including primary course and booster dose vaccinations, where they choose to be vaccinated.

The Department of Health and the NDIA is continuing to engage with eligible providers to provide the opportunity for the vaccination in-reach program to be provided in group accommodation settings.

As advised in our 19 January 2022 provider alert, providers should respond to vaccination providers promptly when contacted to agree a date for the booster dose clinic or to advise if an alternate arrangement has been made.

A provider update issued on 3 December 2021 by the NDIA contains additional information to support your preparations for a visit from the booster in-reach service.

If you have not yet received contact from a Commonwealth vaccine provider or the NDIA to schedule your site’s boosters, please email DisabilityCovidVaccineDelivery@health.gov.au

Promoting access to COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters

Supporting NDIS participants to access COVID-19 vaccinations

All NDIS participants aged 5 years and over are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Participants aged 18 and older are also eligible for a booster dose if they have completed their primary course of a COVID-19 vaccination at least four months ago. Some states and territories have moved to include people who completed a primary course at least 3 months ago. Providers should monitor state and territory government information regarding booster timeframes. We have published a statement about the right of people with disability to make their own decision about COVID-19 vaccination, and the role of NDIS providers and workers in supporting participants. This was sent to registered providers on 5 November 2021. 

Providers should take all steps to assist participants that they support to access the vaccination where they need assistance to do so, including boosters. Further information is available on the Department of Health website, including Easy Read and Auslan resources.

Our provider alert of 9 June 2021 contained resources to help you to support participants to understand the vaccination process and to provide informed consent.

Our fact sheet, called ‘COVID-19 Vaccines: Informed consent, preparing for the vaccine, and restrictive practices’, aims to assist NDIS providers to better understand their obligations when supporting people with disability to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Department of Health has published a COVID-19 vaccination consent form in easy read format.

To assist people with disability to learn more about COVID-19 booster doses, the Department of Health has also developed the following easy read resources:

• Fact sheet about the third dose
• Fact sheet about the booster dose
• Fact sheet about the difference between the third dose and a booster dose.

Vaccination advice and information for disability workers

All states and territories have issued public health orders or directions (with mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements for workers, including disability workers):

• Victoria
• Northern Territory
• New South Wales
• Western Australia
• Australian Capital Territory
• Tasmania
• South Australia
• Queensland

Providers are strongly encouraged to check the details of the public health orders in the states or territories in which they operate and any updated requirements for providers in respect of the vaccination status of disability workers, including any requirements for booster doses.

Our 22 November 2021 provider alert was sent to NDIS providers that are registered to deliver intensive support services to NDIS participants. It contained details about a request for information under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 regarding the COVID-19 vaccination status of workers. It is a condition of registration that registered providers comply with such a notice under the NDIS Act and providers are strongly encouraged to take any necessary steps to comply with the notice.

The Department of Health has dedicated information pages for disability service providers about COVID-19 vaccines.

• Providers: The webpage for disability service providers contains information and resources to help you plan for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
• Disability workers: The webpage for disability workers contains information and resources about COVID-19 vaccines for disability workers.

The Department of Health will continue to update the information on these pages, so we strongly encourage you to visit these pages regularly.

NDIS Commission COVID-19 vaccine information and resources

The COVID-19 vaccine information webpage on our website contains links to updates about COVID-19 vaccines and resources for NDIS providers.

We also have a COVID-19 vaccine webpage containing information for people with disability.