Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccination
Safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines will help protect you, your family and your community from COVID-19.
About COVID-19 Vaccination
People who have a COVID-19 vaccination have a much lower chance of getting sick from the disease called COVID-19.
The COVID-19 vaccination is free. You choose to have the vaccination or not.
Vaccines will be available for everyone in Australia. This includes all Australian citizens, permanent residents, temporary visa-holders and those without a Medicare card.
Australia has agreements for four COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Novavax. Australia’s independent medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has strict standards for reviewing possible COVID-19 vaccines. They only approve vaccines that are safe and effective.
To be vaccinated you will get a needle in your arm. You need to have the vaccination two times on different days. You need to have the same brand of vaccine both times. The person giving you your vaccination will tell you when you need to have the second vaccination.
Medical experts have studied COVID-19 vaccines to make sure they are safe. Most side effects are mild and don’t last for long. As with any vaccine or medicine, there may be rare and/or unknown side effects.
You can tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects like a sore arm, headache, fever or something else. If you have a side effect that worries you, please call your doctor. You may be contacted within the week after receiving the vaccine to see how you are feeling after vaccination.
Some people may still get COVID-19 after vaccination so you must still follow public health precautions as required in your state or territory to stop the spread of COVID-19 including:
keep your distance – stay at least 1.5 metres away from other people
washing your hands often with soap and water, or use hand sanitiser
wear a mask, if your state or territory has advised you should
stay home if you are unwell with cold or flu-like symptoms and
arrange to get a COVID-19 test.
Patient Registration for COVID-19 Vaccination
About the vaccine
Pfizer and Moderna Bivalent (18+) vaccines are available at Campaspe Family Practice. Please note, we no longer stock the original Moderna vaccine.
Dose
Each individual 12 years and over will require two doses, approximately three weeks apart, depending on which vaccine they receive. Booster shots are now available for people who have had their second dose over four months ago.
Children five and over are now eligible for the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination.
How to Book Your Appointment
Please book by using our online booking system or call the Practice on 5422 2877.
Available Days and Times
Covid-19 vaccination clinics are running most days of the week with the major clinics scheduled on Sundays.
COVID-19 Vaccination Registration and Consent Form
COVID-19 Vaccination Patient Registration and Consent Forms will be available at check-in at the time of your appointment. Alternatively, you can download the form below and bring on the day of your appointment.
What to Expect at Your Vaccination Appointment
Step 1. Patient Preparation
Please arrive at the Practice at the time of your appointment and wait outside for our staff to greet you.
You should bring the following to your COVID-19 vaccination appointment:
Photo ID, if you have one.*
Medicare card, if you have one.
Employee ID, if you are getting a COVID-19 vaccine because of your occupation.
Information about any of your medical conditions, allergies, bleeding disorders or immunocompromise (i.e. weakened immune system).*
Information about any medications you are taking.*
Information about any previous COVID-19 vaccine received (vaccine brand and date of vaccination).
Information about any reactions you have had to any vaccine in the past.
Name of your current GP/s and any specialist doctors you see.*
A face mask.
* Not required for existing patients of Campaspe Family Practice
Step 2. Patient Screening
Proof of eligibility, consent and clinical screening conducted on check-in at vaccination clinic.
At your appointment, you will be able to discuss any questions you have about COVID-19 vaccination with your immunisation provider. If you fall into any of the below categories, check with your immunisation provider. You may need to reschedule your appointment for vaccination.
Tell your immunisation provider if you have any medical conditions or if you are taking any medications. Especially make sure to tell them if you:
Have had anaphylaxis (a type of severe allergic reaction) to any substance, or if you have an adrenaline autoinjector (e.g. EpiPen).
Have had a reaction to any vaccine in the past.
Have a bleeding disorder or are receiving anticoagulant therapy (a blood thinner).
Are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning pregnancy.
Are immunocompromised (i.e. have a weakened immune system or take immune suppressing medication).
Have received another COVID-19 vaccine (and which brand).
Have received any vaccine in the last 14 days.
If you have had another vaccine in the 14 days before your COVID-19 vaccine appointment, tell your immunisation provider. Your immunisation provider may ask you to reschedule your appointment.
Step 3. Vaccination Dose Given
You will receive the vaccine as an injection, most commonly into your upper arm muscle.
Step 4. Follow up Information Provided
You will be provided with follow up information on your COVID-19 vaccination.
Step 5. Vaccination Recorded
Your vaccination will be recorded in The Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) by your vaccination provider, as required by Australian law. You can view your vaccination record online through your:
Medicare account
MyGov account
MyHealthRecord account.
Or you can find out how to get your immunisation history statement on the Services Australia website
Step 6. Post Vaccination Monitoring
You must remain in the vaccination clinic for observation for at least 15 minutes after vaccination. Depending on your medical history, you may be asked to wait in the clinic for 30 minutes.
Step 7. Reminder of Second Dose
Before you leave, we will schedule another appointment for your second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
You should not attend a COVID-19 vaccination appointment if you:
Are unwell with fever, cough, runny nose or other symptoms that could be from COVID-19.
Are awaiting COVID-19 test results.
Have tested positive with COVID-19 and you are in isolation.
Are in quarantine.
Are a close contact of someone with COVID-19.
You are not required to test for COVID-19 before vaccination if you do not have a fever or any respiratory symptoms.
COVID-19 vaccines are not effective at treating COVID-19.
Prepare for your COVID-19 vaccination and make sure your details are correct
While you wait for your appointment, there are some things you can do now to get ready.
Make sure your details are up to date with Medicare. You can do this using either your:
Medicare online account through myGov.
calling the Medicare program.
If you don’t have your account set up, you can:
Enrol in Medicare, if you’re not already enrolled.
Set up your Medicare online account, if you’re enrolled in Medicare, but don’t have Medicare linked to myGov.
Get an Individual Health Identifier (IHI), if you’re not eligible for Medicare.
After your COVID-19 Vaccination
What to expect after vaccination
As with any vaccine, you may have some side effects after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
Common side effects include:
pain or swelling at the injection site
tiredness
headache
muscle pain
chills
fever
joint pain.
Less common side effects include:
redness at the injection site
nausea
enlarged lymph nodes
feeling unwell
pain in limb
insomnia
itching at the injection site.
These side effects are usually mild and usually go away within one or two days. If you experience pain at the injection site or fever, headaches or body aches after vaccination, you can take paracetamol or ibuprofen. These help reduce the above symptoms (you do not need to take paracetamol or ibuprofen before vaccination). If there is swelling at the injection site, you can use a cold compress.
Rare side effects that have been reported after are:
Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
Temporary one-sided facial drooping (also called Bell’s palsy).
You should seek medical attention after vaccination if:
You think you are having an allergic reaction. Call 000 if you experience severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, a fast heartbeat or collapsing.
You are worried about a potential side effect or have new or unexpected symptoms.
You have an expected side effect of the vaccine which has not gone away after a few days.
For symptoms which are not urgent, you can see your regular healthcare provider (usually your GP).
COVID-19 post-vaccination concerns
If you have concerns about any symptoms after your vaccine, please call us and we will book an appointment with your doctor. Alternatively, you can use the COVID-19 Vaccine Symptom Checker to see if you need to seek medical help. The checker is also available through the National Coronavirus Helpline, 1800 020 080, 24 hours a day.
Vaccine safety monitoring and reporting side effects
Suspected side effects can be reported to your vaccination provider or other healthcare professional. They will then make a formal report on your behalf to your state or territory health department or directly to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
If you would prefer to report it yourself, please visit the reporting suspected side effects associated with a COVID-19 vaccine webpage on the TGA website and follow the directions on the page.
COVID-19 testing after vaccination
Some side effects from COVID-19 vaccination might be similar to symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g. fever), though the vaccine does not contain any live virus and cannot cause COVID-19. You may not need to get a COVID-19 test or isolate if you develop general symptoms like fever, headache or tiredness in the first two days after vaccination and if you are sure that you don’t have any respiratory symptoms (e.g. runny nose, cough, sore throat, loss of smell or loss of taste). However, you should check the current guidelines in your state/territory for the most up-to-date information. This advice may change in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak in your local area. You may still need to get a COVID-19 test if you meet other criteria, e.g. you are a close contact of a known COVID-19 case. If in doubt, seek medical assessment.
Additional Information
Patients can access additional information on COVID-19 vaccines and the vaccine rollout on the Department of Health COVID-19 vaccine website.
For information on how your personal details are collected, stored and used visit https://www.health.gov.au/covid19-vaccines.
