Residents in up to 30 aged care homes across Australia remain without their booster shot, amid concerns high death rates of the elderly from Omicron will continue as late as March, a national advocacy group says.
Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) — the peak body which represents not-for-profit aged care homes — said 99 per cent of the nation's 2,700 facilities had administered booster shots.
ACSA chief executive officer Paul Sadler said the remainder were expected to be completed by Friday.
"Of course what's happening at the moment, it's the people we didn't reach in time who have been exposed to the risk through the last six weeks as Omicron … shot through aged care services in Queensland,'' Mr Sadler said.
"It's true though that that hasn't got to every single resident, and that's partly because when the in-reach clinics started, they were working on that six-month time frame before you could have your booster shot."
There have been 107 COVID deaths in aged care in Queensland since the current Omicron wave began in December.
Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said yesterday she was "very concerned" about the number of aged care residents who have not received a COVID-19 booster shot, after eight more aged care residents died from the disease.
"Of the 107 deaths we've had in aged care residents since the start of pandemic, only 10 of these people have been boosted, and I'm concerned that 20 were not vaccinated at all," Ms D'Ath said.
"Too many aged care residents are passing away who had not been offered a booster.''
She said she did not know how many facilities in the state had been visited for boosters, as the federal government had not provided specific data on distribution in aged care.
Continuing to 'play politics' with the pandemic
A spokesperson for the Minister for Health and Aged Care's department hit back, saying it "categorically rejected" Ms D'Ath's comments.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said 99 per cent of facilities across the country had received a booster, with those still outstanding to be completed this week.
"This is ahead of the original schedule — residents have also had access to GPs and pharmacies to be boosted," the spokesperson said.
"We strongly encourage family members to support the booster program and ensure they have provided consent to enable the highest possible uptake.
"The claims today are another attempt from the Queensland government to shift the blame onto anyone but themselves, as they continue to play politics with the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We note that the Queensland minister has failed to provide details of any facility in relation to boosters.
"We also note that Queensland has the lowest vaccination rate of any state — the Minister may want to explain that."
Late yesterday Ms D'Ath maintained her position on the federal government's handling of aged residents.
COVID deaths 'sadly not surprising'
Mr Sadler said the high death rate of aged residents in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, could continue into March.
"The death rate lags behind the infection rate. We're seeing high levels of death and [currently] it's people who were being infected three weeks ago,'' he said.
Mr Sadler said the COVID-related deaths in aged care were sadly not surprising.
Boosters 'critical' for older people
Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said booster shots were especially important for Queenslanders over the age of 50.
"We know that these boosters are critical in protecting us from the more severe complications of COVID-19, particularly those people who are older," Dr Gerrard said.
"It has something to do with the way our immune system changes as we pass the age of 40."
