Orthoptists authorised to join Australia's Covid-19 vaccination program

As the Victorian COVID-19 vaccination program broadens to become accessible to more Victorians, it is critical to have a scaled up workforce appropriately trained in the safe management, preparation and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccination supply continues to increase with the hope that the Victorian COVID-19 vaccination program will be able to deliver more than 500,000 doses per week.

Orthoptists are among several new workforces recently authorised to prepare and/or administer the COVID-19 vaccine under a time-limited Public Health Emergency Order (PHEO) issued by the Secretary to the Department of Health on 1 September 2021.

This is a perfect opportunity for the orthoptic workforce to demonstrate ability to be flexible and adaptable and to contribute to the well-being of the wider community. They are ideally placed to assist in the vaccine rollout with transferable skills and many of whom are already embedded in the public health system.

The surge workforces will need to undergo mandatory training prior to registering interest and even those Orthoptists who do not meet the eligibility criteria to prepare or administer the vaccine may still be eligible to participate in support or administrative roles.

The Victorian department of Health has developed a number of resources, including factsheets about eligibility, how to register interest, training required, and frequently asked questions.

More information can be found on the Victorian Department of Health Covid-19 Vaccination Website