The Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC) of NSW have launched the ‘yarn-up about the COVID-19 vaccine campaign.’

The campaign encourages Aboriginal Community members to yarn up about the COVID-19 vaccine with an Aboriginal Health Worker or doctor at their local AMS or GP, and seek information about the vaccine based on their individual health needs.

Vaccines play a vital role to keep our mob healthy, safe and strong. Information about the COVID-19 vaccines is changing rapidly. For the latest information you can visit the NSW Health and Australian Department of Health  websites and subscribe to COVID-19 vaccine updates.

The ACCHS sector is a recognized leader in delivering vaccines to Community and have achieved some of the highest immunisation rates in the country.

Safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines will be available in 2021. Whilst these vaccines have been developed faster than any other vaccine, the development process has not skipped any vital safety step. Progress has been sped up because of unprecedented funding, the availability of new technology and the collaboration of researchers and developers around the world. The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is only approving vaccines once safety requirements have been met, and all clinical trials completed. This process is giving Australians access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines as quickly as possible, to help protect people and communities. For more vaccine-related information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, click here.

Some frequently asked questions

• Who will get the vaccine and how much will it cost?

The Commonwealth government is making the COVID-19 vaccine freely available to everyone in Australia.

• Is the COVID-19 vaccine voluntary?

Yes! The Australian Government encourages as many people as possible to get vaccinated for COVID-19, but the decision is up to you. It is not compulsory to have the COVID-19 vaccine.

• When can I get the vaccine?

The vaccine will roll out in phases. More details on the phases are available here.

The Australian Government identifies priority groups using the latest public health and medical evidence on who would be most affected if they were sick with COVID-19. The priority groups may change as more medical information and data is reviewed by the ATAGI and updated advice is provided to the Australian Government.

• How will the vaccines be distributed?

The ACCHS sector will be playing a key role in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. AH&MRC is committed to supporting our Members to engage in the vaccine rollout and ensure Aboriginal Community Control informs each step.

Planning is well underway to support access and delivery of TGA-approved COVID-19 vaccines to protect all Communities in NSW. AH&MRC will continue to collaborate closely with the Australian Government, NSW Health, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and other members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are easily accessible to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across NSW.

• Remember, vaccination is only one part of the solution.

With the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out underway, it is still important to stay COVID-19 safe by practicing good hygiene and social distancing measures, such as:

• Keeping two big steps apart from others
• Wearing a mask in crowded places
• Regularly washing your hands
• Getting tested for COVID-19 even if you only have the mildest of symptoms. Remember to #swab4mob.

Stay up to date

Subscribe here for COVID-19 vaccine updates and keep up to date on news about the COVID-19 vaccine from Australia’s Department of Health. These updates are for anyone interested in keeping up to date on specific news regarding:

• aged care service providers
• peak bodies
• GPs and health professionals
• priority groups for vaccination.

Information for healthcare professionals

COVID-19 vaccine training 

The Australian Government has partnered with the Australian College of Nursing to develop and deliver free and accredited training modules for health professionals involved in the administration of COVID-19 vaccines.

Authorised immunisation providers must complete COVID-19 vaccination training. Immunisation providers will be required to provide their Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) number and date of birth to enrol.

COVID-19 vaccine resources

Here are some reliable resources helping you quickly find the latest information about the vaccine and answer questions you may have.

• NSW Health Information for COVID-19 Vaccination Providers
• NCIRS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 
• Australian Academy of Science Statement –Pandemic, vaccines and misinformation (plain English statement and video)
• Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advice

COVID-19 vaccine communications

The Australian Government Department of Health has developed resources to support communications with Aboriginal Communities, stakeholders and networks. The pack includes;

• newsletter article content
• script for videos
• editorial example
• poster
• Q&A

Download the Australian Government’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program Implementation Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Download the Australian Government’s Community Engagement Kit for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Download the Department of Health’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Communication Kit.

Further resources will be developed as more information about the COVID-19 vaccines becomes available. To provide feedback about the National campaign or to propose additional communications, please email our Communications Team via comms@ahmrc.org.au.

More COVID-19 resources are available on AH&MRC’s dedicated COVID-19 page.

The Vaccine Operations Centre is the central point of contact within the Department of Health to assist with operational components of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. For more information, call 1800 318 208.

Where can I find more information? 

Australian Government 

The Australian Government is leading the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out. Read the latest policy and information about the vaccine roll-out.

• Australian COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
• COVID-19 Vaccines National Roll-out Strategy

NSW Health

The NSW Health vaccination page has useful information including a page with commonly asked questions. Additional information and questions will be shared over the coming months.

• NSW Health vaccination page
• NSW Health FAQs about the COVID-19 vaccine

Health Direct

The Health Direct COVID-19 vaccines page also has useful information on commonly asked questions.

• About the COVID-19 vaccines
• Getting the vaccination
• After you get the vaccination

NACCHO and NCIRS

• Information about COVID-19 vaccines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Other trusted websites

• Australian Government Department of Health
• Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
• National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• The World Health Organization (WHO)