COVID-19 Vaccinations
Vitalia Healthcare is proud to announce that they will be part of the Phase 1B COVID-19 vaccination roll out.
COVID-19 vaccinations Update - 30th June 2021
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ?
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) have reviewed their advice on the AstraZeneca vaccine. They have recommended that Pfizer is the preferred vaccine for people aged under 60 years.
This doesnโt change who is currently eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, but it means if you are under 60 it is preferred you get the Pfizer vaccine.
However as of the 30th June 2021 the Health Department has advised that the AstraZeneca vaccine can be provided to people aged 18 to 59 years of age if:
- The Pfizer vaccine is not available
- The benefits to the patient are likely to outweigh the risks for that patient
- The patient is prepared to accept the risks and has made an informed decision based on understanding the risks and benefits.
Furthermore anyone wanting the AstraZeneca vaccine aged under 60 years old (especially patients aged between 18 – 39) must first have a consult with the doctor to assess the risks and benefits before proceeding.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฑ?
ATAGI have made this recommendation because of new evidence that shows the risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, or TTS (which is a rare blood clotting syndrome) in the 50 โ 59 age group is higher than initially thought.
๐โ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ, ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฃ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ฒ?
No, this isnโt necessary. If you have had your first AstraZeneca vaccine dose without any serious side effects, you can receive your second dose as planned.
To ensure maximum long term immunity, it is important you receive two doses of the same COVID-19 vaccine.
๐โ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐. ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ?
If you have recently had your first vaccine dose and are experiencing any side effects that you are worried about, please book an appointment for you to see one of our doctor to discuss your concerns further.
๐ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ฒ?
Yes, the AstraZeneca vaccine is still safe for you. The risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, or TTS (which is a rare blood clotting syndrome), is much lower in people aged 60 years and over.
Additionally, if you are aged 60 and over you are much more likely to become seriously unwell if you catch COVID-19.
๐โ๐บ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐–๐ญ๐ต ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐ฌ, ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ?
If you are aged under 60 years, and you have an appointment to receive your first dose of AstraZeneca, it is recommended you cancel this booking.
You can schedule an appointment at a Pfizer vaccination site. If you need to find the site closest to you, you can use the vaccine eligibility checker on www.health.gov.au.
๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ?
Some Commonwealth Vaccination Clinics (CVC) are currently providing the Pfizer vaccine, along with many state based clinics. All CVC’s and many General Practices will have the Pfizer vaccines during June and July.
To book an appointment, you can use the vaccine eligibility checker. You can find the checker on health.gov.au. If an appointment is not available right away, new clinics and appointments are being added regularly, so you can wait a few days and check again. Vitalia Healthcare will be getting the Pfizer vaccine soon and will post on the website and on Facebook when it arrives.
๐ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐ฌ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ณ๐๐น๐น๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ, ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฃ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ป๐ผ๐?
If you have received both doses of the vaccine you do not need to get vaccinated with any other COVID-19 vaccine
How do you book an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination at Vitalia Healthcare?
Bookings can be completed through the following ways:
- Through this website at www.vitaliahc.com.au
- By phoning the clinic on 6559 4788 during business hours
- Go to the National Booking service at https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility
- There is also a hotline for patients who donโt want to book using the above. The phone number is 1800 020 080.
- Unfortunately only patients with a valid Medicare card can receive a COVID-19 vaccination from our clinic. If you do not have a Medicare card the Commonwealth government has instructed us to direct you to one of the GP Respiratory Clinics.
Regular screenings with your GP and watching for those telltale signs, can go a long way to encouraging a healthier you. Here at Vitalia Healthcare our doctors can help you. Click here to book an appointment.
Who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination during Phase 1B roll out
Patients can check if they are eligible for each phase by clicking on the link and following the prompts – https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/ or using the table below:
Patients Eligible for COVID-19 AstraZeneca Vaccination
| Population Groups | What patients need to produce at the appointment |
|---|---|
| Patients 61 years old and over (effective as of the 17th June 2021) | ID must be provided to prove age if you are a new patient to the clinic. |
| Patients over 18 years with an underlying medical condition, including disability | Evidence must be produced of a medical condition or a referral from a GP or treating specialist or a Phase 1B Declaration Form (can be completed if the patient does not have proof of their underlying medical condition). |
Healthcare workers not included in Phase 1A including:
| |
| |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders over 55 years | Self-identification as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander |
| Critical and high risk workers | Proof of occupation e.g. letter from employer, ID card or a Phase 1B Declaration Form |
COVID-19 Pfizer Vaccination Forms (vaccine coming soon) - for Patients aged 60 and below
COVID-19 AstraZeneca Vaccination Forms - for Patients aged 61 and above
Medical conditions that are eligible under Phase 1B include:
- Solid organ transplant recipients who are on immune suppressive therapy
- Leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma
- Patients who are currently going through chemotherapy or radiotherapy
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Crohn's disease
- HIV/Aids
- Chronic lung disease
- Diabetes
- Severe obesity
- Chronic liver disease
- Patients that have had a stroke
- Chronic liver disease
- Dementia
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson's disease
- Motor Neurone disease
- Cerebral Palsy
- Poorly controlled blood pressure
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Is there a cost to the patient to get the COVID-19 vaccination?
No, there is no cost to the patient.
Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine and Flu vaccine together?
Routine scheduling and giving a flu vaccine with a COVID-19 vaccine on the same day is not recommended. The preferred minimum interval between a dose of seasonal flu vaccine and a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is 14 days.
Patients should talk to their doctor for more information.
What are the possible side effects from the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine?
- Pain
- Swelling
- Tenderness, redness or itching around the injection site
- Tiredness
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Nausea
- Chills and fever
- Feeling unwell
- Joint pain
Less common side effects after AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine include:
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Pain in limb
- Dissiness
- Decreased appetite
- Stomach pain
If your side effects last longer than a couple of days, please seek medical advice from your doctor.
Chronic Disease Management
If a patient is eligible and has signs of a chronic disease such as arthritis, asthma, back pain,ย cancer,ย cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes or mental health conditions. Depending on their prognosis they can now access the following over the phone:
- GP Management Plan
- Team Care Arrangement โ where the patient will be cover Medicare rebates for five allied health consults
- Mental Health Care Plan for things like depression, anxiety or stress and will cover Medicare rebates for sessions per year
