Major aged care providers have warned vaccination rates for their home care staff remain extraordinarily low, just days after the government conceded it still has no specific plan for vaccinating the workforce. About 150,000 aged care workers provide care to about 1 million older Australians in their own homes across the country, but the government revealed on Friday it still has no dedicated plan for vaccinating home care staff and has given the issue little focus. Health department secretary Brendan Murphy said the government had deemed home care workers as less risk than residential aged care workers. “This delay is inhibiting the care our staff can provide to aged care clients in their home,” he said. Shadow senior Australians minister Clare O’Neil said about 84% of those receiving aged care in Australia did so at home.

Source: The Guardian July 27, 2021 17:26 UTC