COVID-19

COVID-19 Updates

Find out the most up to date info on coronavirus

Country SA PHN will continue to work with the Commonwealth Department of Health and SA Health to relay relevant information to primary health care providers and provide support as required.

Priority Groups

The Australian Government is expecting approval of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines by the end of this month, with a rollout to priority groups beginning mid-February. In addition to being able to administer the vaccine when available, healthcare professionals will also be able to receive the vaccine in the following rollout phases:

More Information

More information about the approved COVID-19 vaccine approach is outlined in:

• the Australian COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
• the COVID-19 Vaccines National Rollout Strategy

The Department of Health developed a new vaccine website this website is regularly being updated with more information as it becomes available. Information will also be available in 63 languages.

Subscribe to the COVID-19 vaccines updates to ensure you receive the latest updates available on the website.

COVID-19 vaccine training

The Australian College of Nursing has been appointed to lead the development of the mandatory training materials for COVID-19 immunisation providers. Healthcare professionals will not be able to administer any COVID-19 vaccines without having first completed the training modules.

COVID-19 Distribution of Masks and Other PPE

Supporting COVID and Respiratory Ready General Practice with supply of masks and other PPE (Living with COVID Program)

PPE Bundle & Pulse Oximeters Eligibility and Ordering: (IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

Please note that The Department of Health is offering PPE bundles to clinicians until 30 June 2022 who will be:

• Working in General Practices, ACCHSs and GPRCs willing to treat COVID positive patients face-to-face,
• ACCHSs and rural and remote GPs willing to treat COVID positive patients virtually and respiratory patients face-to-face, where workforce capacity is limited AND the GP is serving the community for most or all health needs.

Clinics that meet the eligibility criteria, as above, and are requesting support with PPE Bundles and Pulse Oximeters will have their information available through Healthdirect and SA Health Websites. Please note 1 bundle per eligible clinician, extra stock is not able to be provided.  Please provide sizes for P2/N95, gowns and gloves.

Supporting General Practice with supply of masks and other PPE (those not participating in Living with COVID program)

To support general practices providing assessment and testing of patients with suspected COVID-19 and in recognition of the limited availability of commercial supplies, the Commonwealth Department of Health (DoH) and SA Health have been distributing PPE from National and State stockpiles via Country SA PHN to general practices with a demonstrated need across country SA.

All supplies remain very limited and allocation of all masks and other PPE items will continue to consider accessibility of commercial supplies, National and State distribution guidelines, demonstrated need, use within current guidelines and equitable access across our region.

Supporting Pharmacy with masks and face shields

The Australian Government is continuing to support the COVID-19 booster and vaccination program delivered in community pharmacy. To date, only surgical masks have been available to pharmacies via Primary Health Networks (PHNs). To provide extra support in the community pharmacy setting, the Australian Government will provide temporary additional access to personal protective equipment (PPE) from the National Medical Stockpile (NMS), comprising of P2/N95 respirators and eye protection (in the form of either goggles or face shields) for eligible pharmacists.

All supplies remain very limited and allocation of all masks and other PPE items will continue to consider accessibility of commercial supplies, National and State distribution guidelines, demonstrated need, use within current guidelines and equitable access across our region.

All pharmacists administering the COVID-19 vaccination program and applying for the PPE pharmacy bundle through the NMS are required to:

• provide considered and reasonable requests for stock via CSAPHN based on the numbers of clinical staff providing vaccination and the volumes of vaccinations delivered;
• certify the number of vaccinators trained to provide COVID-19 vaccinations and provide the clinicians APHRA number for whom the PPE is sought as part of the ordering process;
• certify that you are not receiving free PPE from other sources to ensure your pharmacy, are not stockpiling or accessing multiple sources of free PPE;
• not on sell any products provided by the Commonwealth under this arrangement; and
• use the PPE for its intended purpose i.e. for the support of administering COVID-19 vaccinations and booster doses.