Annual Influenza Vaccination

Ensure you prepare for the Annual INFLUENZA SEASON;
All students who attend a clinical placement within NSW Health facilities between 1 June and 30 September must have evidence in their ClinConnect profile by 1 May of the annual Australian influenza vaccination to prevent placement cancellation. For students assigned to a Federally Funded Aged Care Unit, this is a mandatory requirement for the entire duration of the year and clinical placement will not proceed if evidence has not been supplied confirming that the annual influenza vaccination has been administered for that calendar year. Proof of the current year's influenza vaccination must be provided by 1 May annually and kindly note, the influenza vaccination that has been administered, must be that year's version of the influenza vaccination; i.e. the influenza vaccination produced for each calendar year is available from March 1st. Influenza vaccinations administered before this date will not be accepted. Obtain the vaccination as soon as it is available and return the evidence as noted below to your education provider to process.

It is strongly recommend that every student has a flu vaccination as soon as possible as it can take 2-3 weeks after the administration of the influenza vaccination to become fully effective.

How to submit to your Annual Influenza Vaccination evidence

• Return all evidence of annual influenza vaccination to your education provider.

Acceptable evidence includes:

• The current annual influenza vaccination recorded on your NSW Health vaccination record card must have a signature, date and practice stamp to validate the entry as legitimate.
• A printout summary of the vaccinations administered by your GP which confirms that the influenza vaccination has been administered. The document issued must be on the GPs letterhead with a signature and practice stamp affixed to the document, validating it as legitimate.
• A copy of your AIR (Australian Immunisation Register report)
• If the influenza vaccination was administered at a Pharmacy, have them supply a 'Certificate of Vaccination' and submit this.

Pictures of 'receipts' for the influenza vaccination or photographs of influenza vaccination vials do not constitute evidence that the influenza vaccination has actually been administered, and is not acceptable evidence.

All forms of evidence must include student name, date of birth, influenza vaccine name, vaccine batch number, date of administration, expiry date, vaccinator name, signature and practice stamp/letterhead.

The annual Influenza vaccination can also be administered at the USYD Medical Centre https://sydney.edu.au/campus-life/health-wellbeing-success/health-services.html Contact them to ascertain when the influenza vaccination for that calendar year will be available.

Do I still need to have the Australian influenza vaccine if I have already received an influenza vaccination outside of Australia?

Yes. If you are attending a placement in any NSW Health facility between 1 June and 30 September you will need to have received the current annual Australian influenza vaccine that is applicable to that calendar year which is available after 1 March annually. Obtain the annual influenza vaccination as soon as it is available; the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has advised that immunity from the influenza vaccine can start to reduce after a few months.

This means that the influenza vaccination, if administered outside of Australia, is not acceptable.

COVID-19 vaccination evidence is no longer a mandatory requirement for placement. However, HETI and NSW Health have requested that, where evidence is available, is to be recorded on the student's profile. This supports rapid identification and follow-up in the event of an outbreak and contact‑tracing requirement-particularly for individuals with no vaccination history recorded, compared with those who have evidence of multiple COVID-19 vaccinations. Please note that COVID-19 remains active within the Australian community, and all health workers and students enrolled in health-related courses are strongly encouraged to consider following Commonwealth Government advice regarding booster vaccinations for this vaccine-preventable disease https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/getting-your-vaccination?language=en Provide evidence to your education provider regarding any boosters obtained.