COVID - 19 Information

On this page you will find the latest information on COVID-19.  The resources on this page are from different sites, if the information you need is not accessible to you please call our office on 9420 7279 so we can get the information you need to you.

 

High-risk groups are now eligible for a winter booster dose (a 4th dose) of the COVID-19 vaccination.

This booster will further protect at-risk individuals from severe illness and reduce hospitalisations related to COVID-19 during winter.

The recommendation for a winter booster covers the following groups who have received their primary vaccination course and third booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine:

• adults aged 65 years and older;
• residents of aged care or disability care facilities;
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and older; and
• people aged 16 years and older with severe immunosuppression who have already had their fourth dose - meaning they will receive their fifth dose, as part of their winter booster vaccine.

There is no recommendation currently for healthy people to receive a fourth dose if they are not in one of the above groups, however people can seek further advice from their GP or health professional.

The winter booster dose can be given from four months or longer after the person has received their third dose or last booster dose, or four months after a confirmed COVID-19 infection, if the infection occurred since the person's third dose or last booster dose.

The rollout of the additional dose for these groups started Monday 4 April, with vaccines available now. Eligible individuals can access the vaccine in GPs, pharmacies and State-run vaccination clinics, and bookings can be made via the Roll Up for WA website from mid-April.

• Vaccines available for the additional winter booster dose aligns with current COVID-19 vaccine boosters being:

• Pfizer or Moderna as the preferred vaccines;
• AstraZeneca can be used under certain circumstances; or
• Novavax can be used if no other COVID-19 vaccine is considered suitable for that person.

For more information, people can refer to the ATAGI website or consult their GP or health professional.

As COVID-19 cases increase across WA, it’s important to understand what we need to do when it comes to testing and isolation.  On this site you will find guidelines you can follow depending on the situation you’re in.  These will help you know what to do to keep yourself and others in the community safe.

 

It's important to note, if you have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 8 weeks and you become a close contact, no isolation requirements apply provided you have no symptoms and are not immunocompromised.

The Council for Intellectual Disability created a short video called “How to do a rapid antigen test from your nose”. 

The Australian Government have created an Easy Read booklet called “How to do a rapid antigen test with your spit”. 

When you ring 132 6843, you have the option of going through to the State Welfare Incident Control Centre (SWICC). SWICC provides emergency services to anyone in WA impacted by an emergency, including COVID-19. SWICC can provide emergency accommodation, emergency transport, emergency food, personal requisites (hand sanitiser, baby formula and nappies, cleaning material), personal support services and financial assistance.

 

SWICC can place an online grocery order for you, they can prepare meals for you if you’re unable to do so and have no other support available to you, they can arrange to drop off a food box at your door. They are currently setting up support for people who need help with caring for children and pets if their parent/guardian is unwell/unable to care for them.

 

The financial assistance available is called Test Isolation Payment Scheme - COVID-19 coronavirus: Test Isolation Payment Scheme (www.wa.gov.au) It has strict eligibility criteria.