Update
The federal Department of Health says the government is committed to ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to all residential aged care sites, following the last-minute cancellation of scheduled vaccinations.
A spokesman for the Department of Health, responding to questions from the Leader, said the COVID-19 vaccine rollout was one of the "single largest logistical operations this country has ever seen".
The comments came after the Leader reported residents at Moran Aged Care Engadine were due to receive their COVID-19 shots last Wednesday but staff were contacted that morning and told the vaccinations would not go ahead.
Commenters on the Leader Facebook page said aged care facilities in Peakhurst and Mortdale were also affected.
The spokesman said the rollout was "expanding" and "safety remains our paramount concern".
"The department is working with stakeholders to support facilities in the rollout, including aged care peak bodies and advocacy groups," he said.
"The department is advised that the Moran Aged Care Engadine facility was originally scheduled for vaccination on February 25, and has been rescheduled for vaccination this week on Wednesday, March 3.
"Both the state and territory teams alongside the aged care in-reach teams are ramping up their operations, with more vaccines being distributed across the country this week.
"The Department of Health, through the Vaccine Operations Centre, is working hard to ensure information is being communicated quickly, and that any changes are kept to an absolute minimum."
Earlier
The COVID-19 vaccine rollout to aged care centres in St George and Sutherland Shire is in disarray, with planned appointments cancelled last week just before they were due to take place.
The rollout of the vaccine to nursing home residents is being delivered by the federal government - not state health authorities - but has already been plagued by problems.
Residents at Moran Aged Care Engadine were due to receive their COVID-19 shots last Wednesday from 9am but staff were contacted that morning and told the vaccinations would not go ahead.
The aged care centre has since been told the vaccinations are scheduled to take place this week.
In a press release put out on February 16, Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt said tens of thousands of aged care residents across Australia would receive their first COVID-19 vaccine dose last week.
It said the Australian government was ensuring those who were particularly vulnerable to the worst effects of the coronavirus would receive the earliest protection.
The vaccination program was to begin in every state and territory, and the rollout to aged care facilities was set to take about six weeks.
Mr Hunt said the vaccine implementation plan for residential aged care aimed to administer vaccines to more than 240 aged care facilities in the first week.
"Vaccination for residents and staff will be made available through residential aged care facilities where they live or work, and it will be administered through an in-reach workforce provider," he said.
"Healthcare Australia will be providing the vaccination workforce in NSW and Queensland, and Aspen Medical will be responsible for the other states and territories.
"The Primary Health Network in each region will be supporting the Commonwealth delivery to each of the aged care facilities in their area, and the process is expected to draw from the extensive experience in delivering influenza vaccines to aged care residents."
As part of the rollout, residential aged care facilities will be grouped, with up to a maximum of eight facilities within a 30-kilometre radius, to ensure efficient delivery of the vaccine.
However, the rollout hit a hurdle the very first week, when a Healthcare Australia doctor in Queensland gave two aged care residents four times the recommended dose.
It was later revealed the doctor had not undergone the necessary training.
This was despite the Federal Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Richard Colbeck previously saying that everyone responsible for providing the vaccine in aged care settings would be required to complete relevant training, including the use of multi-dose vials, cold storage and infection control.
The Leader has asked Mr Hunt's office for comment.
