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Covid-19 Vaccine NDIS Patients Updates

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccines: Department of Health Disability Update (3 June 2022)

Key points

  • The Department of Health has issued a new Disability Provider Alert.
  • ATAGI has expanded its recommendations for a COVID winter vaccination dose to include all people aged over 16 with disability.
  • Reminder of COVID-19 person-centred emergency preparedness (PCEP) guides for people with disability.

Department of Health provider alert (3 June 2022)

The Department of Health has issued a COVID-19 vaccination – Disability Provider Alert – 3 June 2022.

The alert contains important information about the continued rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, including:

  • updated advice on recommendations for winter COVID-19 winter dose (Easy Read Resource) from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI)
  • information about COVID-19 treatments, transmission, COVID-19 and flu vaccination is available in the COVID-19 Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (PCEP) Guides. These guides are designed to help people with disability plan for a COVID-19 emergency tailored to their unique support needs. The guides are available in Easy Read and Standard English formats from the Collaborating 4 Inclusion website
  • assistance pathways available to people with disability and their support networks, including via the National Coronavirus and COVID-19 Vaccine Helpline (phone 1800 020 080) and the Disability Gateway.

We encourage you to read the Department of Health provider alert for the full details. Please also feel free to speak with your VHHS carer about these updates.

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 eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Participants aged 16 and older are eligible for a booster dose if they have completed their primary course of a COVID-19 vaccination at least three months ago. People aged 16 years and older with disability are also eligible for a COVID-19 winter dose (that is, a second booster dose). ATAGI recommends people with disability should receive their COVID-19 winter dose from 4 months after their first booster dose.

All people have the right to make their own decision about COVID-19 vaccination. See our statement about participant rights and the role of NDIS providers and workers in supporting participants to access COVID-19 vaccination, which was sent to registered providers on 5 November 2021. 

Vital Home Health Services will support the access of vaccination where you or your loved one needs assistance to do so, including boosters. Please speak with your Carer or our administrative mean if assistance is required.

Further information is available on the Department of Health website, including Easy Read and Auslan resources.

We are here to support our clients to understand the vaccination process and assist in providing informed consent. It is highly important to us, at Vital Home Health Services, to speak with the clients we support and their support networks – family, guardians and carers – about the vaccination process using factual and unbiased information.

To get a better understanding of our concept process please read the Department of Health COVID-19 vaccination consent form in easy read format.

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

Vaccination reporting requirements

VHHS delivers intensive support services in compliance with public health orders or directions relating to COVID-19 vaccination requirements, including booster doses and reporting worker vaccination information to the NDIS Commission. Refer to the NDIS workforce vaccination page for more information.

NDIS Commission COVID-19 vaccine information and resources

The NDIS website contains links to updates about COVID-19 vaccines and resources for NDIS for people with disability.