Aged care residents will receive their fifth COVID vaccine and the government has announced a new incentive payment to GPs and pharmacists to administer the shots.

ATAGI has recommended that everyone at severe risk of illness – such as aged care residents – receive the 2023 COVID vaccine booster dose.

More than 800 residents have died from COVID since October last year, though that rate is slowing: infection rates are down about 80% from their December peak.

The recommendation is for people whose most recent COVID vaccine or infection was more than six months ago, and for most residents will be their fifth vaccine dose.

The recommendation comes into effect on 20 February.

General practitioners and pharmacists, which delivered the majority of COVID vaccinations in residential aged care homes last year, will continue to administer the vaccinations in aged care homes.

The government has simplified and increased the payments for primary care providers to administer Covid vaccines in aged care homes. The payments for GPs and pharmacists, claimable once per visit, have increased from $57 to $118.15.

The Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said, “This new incentive payment will be much simpler, and it will be about double the amount of the payment that has previously been available to those providers for visiting the aged care and residential disability centres.”

“If you’re 65 or over, or you're an adult at risk of severe COVID illness, and it’s been six months since your last booster or infection, it’s now time for a booster.

“Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells and I will be writing to aged care providers to encourage them to bring local pharmacists and GPs into their facilities to administer the additional booster doses.”

Public Health Networks also receive funding under the Vulnerable Vaccination Program to develop and implement innovative short-term Covid vaccination activities for “priority population” in the regions.