Coronavirus: Aged-care protection ‘proof vaccinations save lives’

Only six cases of the Delta strain of Covid-19 have been recorded among aged-care residents.

SummitCare in Baulkham Hills, northwest Sydney, is the only facility to have infections among residents, but the outbreak was contained to six. Picture: Adam Yip

Vaccinations have prevented scores of infections in aged care during the NSW Delta outbreak, with only six cases recorded among residents in aged-care ­facilities despite a total of more than 2500 infections.

All six of the residents who have contracted Covid-19 in aged care during the NSW Delta outbreak are in a stable condition, with none becoming seriously ill.

Five of the six residents were vaccinated.

At this time last year as the Victorian second wave gathered pace, there had been 547 cases of Covid-19 among residents in aged-care facilities since the start of the pandemic and 73 deaths among a total of 15,304 cases.

To date, 685 residents of aged-care facilities have died of Covid-19 during the pandemic, with 2060 infected.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the total prevention of aged-care deaths and the very low numbers of infections in aged care during the Delta outbreak in NSW despite rising case numbers was proof that vaccinations were reducing the chances of infection and saving lives. Eighty-two per cent of residents in 2566 aged-care facilities have now been fully vaccinated, with 86.4 per cent having received at least one dose.

Mr Hunt said the nightmare scenario that was seen in Victoria during its second wave - when there were 4148 cases among residents and staff in aged care and 655 residents died - was now being prevented because of vaccination. “The difference is just inconceivable,” he said.

“There couldn’t be stronger proof that vaccination saves lives and protects lives.

“It significantly reduces, but doesn’t prevent, your chances of catching or transmitting the ­disease. Overwhelmingly, it re­duces the numbers of cases and it’s ­absolutely clear that it provides enormous protection for everybody, particularly among the most vulnerable. The real world evidence from last year in Victoria compared with this year in Sydney could not be more stark.”

Seven aged-care facilities have been sites of Covid-19 outbreak during the NSW Delta wave yet despite staff being infected, the virus did not spread to residents in six of the facilities.

The only facility to have infections among residents is SummitCare in Baulkham Hills, but the outbreak was contained to six.

Kathie Melocco’s parents, Allan and Lona Patrick, aged 88 and 87, contracted Covid-19 in SummitCare in early July. They were both fully vaccinated. Both became ill with the virus and are now recovering in hospital.

Ms Melocco said she believed her parents would be dead had they not been vaccinated, especially her father, who has end-stage kidney disease. “The vaccination has given my parents a lifeline,” she said. “If they had not been vaccinated, without question I think we would have lost them, and I think it would have been fast.

“For any family that is hesitant about vaccination, for goodness sake if you’re going to save the life of someone you dearly love, go out and get vaccinated.”

Both the Pfizer and the AstraZeneca vaccines have been found to reduce the chances of hospitalisation and death by at least 90 per cent. Even after one dose of AstraZeneca, the chances of getting seriously ill or dying from Covid-19 are reduced by 70 per cent.

Four out of five cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in NSW during the Delta outbreak were among non-vaccinated people.

There have been no deaths in fully vaccinated people.

The low number of aged-care cases in NSW is in contrast to outbreaks such as St Basil’s aged-care facility in Melbourne, in which 94 residents and 97 staff were infected and 45 residents died.

Epping Gardens in Melbourne also recorded infections in 103 resident and 87 staff, with 38 deaths.

In NSW, Newmarch House Aged Care Facility during the state’s first wave was the biggest outbreak, with 37 residents and 34 staff infected, and 19 deaths.

Director of the Doherty Institute Sharon Lewin said the impact of widespread vaccination in aged care was enormous. “The Victorian second wave was very much an outbreak sweeping aged care last year, with horrendous outcomes,” Professor Lewin said. “In Sydney, the situation is totally different. We still take every infection seriously, but vaccination has had a profound effect.”

There were 196,982 vaccines administered in Australia on July 27, the highest number since the rollout began. A total of 11,593,766 vaccinations have been administered nationwide, with 39 per cent of people having had one dose and 17 per cent fully vaccinated.

Ciaran Foley, CEO of the Allambie Heights Village aged-care facility, said although the high number of vaccinations among aged-care residents was welcome, it was urgent all staff had the opportunity to be vaccinated.

“Our aged-care workers need to be given priority, and it is not happening” he said. “I am speaking to GPs, I am aware of the hubs, but we shouldn’t have to have members of aged-care facilities travelling 30km to get a Pfizer vaccination. The stories we’re hearing are concerning … pregnant staff are being told they have to wait until October to get vaccinated.”

It was revealed this month that more than half the nation’s aged-care workers had not received a first Covid-19 vaccine dose. Workers must have a first dose by the government’s September 17 deadline to remain employed.