Aged-care residents are being forced to isolate in their rooms without visits from family members for “weeks on end” as COVID-19 rips through the sector. Government figures show more than 1100 aged-care homes are now battling active outbreaks, with 222 elderly residents dying of COVID-19 in the week to January 27. All the while homes are having to get by with fewer workers.
Source: Booster rollout questioned as COVID aged care outbreaks surge
The deadline for all aged-care workers to be vaccinated looms next month, but barely half of the cohort have been able to access a jab. It comes as a new report finds Australia is already facing a shortfall of aged-care workers, requiring at least 17,000 each year “just to meet basic standards of care”. Health Minister Greg Hunt says he is confident all aged-care workers will be vaccinated by the September 17 deadline, but with less than 40 days to go, only 56 per cent of those workers have yet received even a first dose of vaccine.
Source: Barely half of aged-care workers now vaccinated, despite looming deadline
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