Published on 19 May 2022

Firstly, I want to thank staff for responding so well to the increased demand for our services over the past week.

Flu vaccination for staff and eligible in-patients
If you haven’t yet got your flu shot this year, please do make it a priority. The staff influenza immunisation program is now operational every day including weekends.

The COVID Vaccination Outreach Team are now available to administer flu vaccines for adult in-patients who are eligible under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) scheme including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people aged 65 years and over, and people over who have medical conditions that put them at a higher risk of getting serious disease. When doctors identify an NIP eligible patient who requires a flu vaccine, they can email outreachcovidvax@wh.org.au and advise: patient name, DOB, UR and ward, and whether they require flu or COVID vaccination or both. This outreach service is only available until 30 June 2022.

Please note that our Sunshine, Melton and Caroline Springs Vaccination Hubs can now administer free flu vaccinations to people eligible under NIP. If you have friends and family who are eligible, please encourage them to access this service or book in with their GP or pharmacist. Children aged 6 months to under 5 years will need to come into our Children’s Immunisation Clinic for their jab, located on the ground floor at Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s, rather than the vaccination hubs.

Visitor Access to Rapid Antigen Testing
The COVID Response team is expanding the RAT self-testing program currently in place for visitors to Newborn Services to now include visitors to Ward 2E at Sunshine Hospital. As case numbers increase in the community, this is a particularly important step in the visitor screening process that will help to keep our most vulnerable patients safe. For further detail, please see the updated Rapid Antigen Testing Visitors Procedure.

Footscray COVID Testing Clinic
Changes in surveillance and testing requirements and greater availability of RATs have resulted in significantly reduced demand for the Footscray COVID Testing Clinic and therefore it will cease operation tomorrow, Friday 20 May. Staff can still access RATs via the main reception desk at Footscray Hospital. The Footscray COVID Testing Clinic will resume operations when required to support timely access to staff PCR testing.

Symptomatic staff testing remains available at the Sunshine COVID Testing Clinic between the hours of 8.45am-4.45pm (available for symptomatic and asymptomatic staff). Refer to details here regarding RAT access at all sites.

COVID testing for family members of staff to cease
PCR testing of family members of staff at Sunshine COVID Testing Clinic will also cease tomorrow, Friday 20 May, due to decreased demand. Staff can refer to the Department of Health Where to get tested website to locate the most convenient PCR testing site for their family members.

Regards

John
Executive Director Operations (Acting)