A NEW BURDEN TO CONSIDER: INSIGHT INTO POST VACCINATION SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT AT A LARGE, MULTI-CAMPUS, TERTIARY HEALTHCARE FACILITY IN MELBOURNE

Ms Naydene Alexander¹, Ms  Zoe Flanagan¹, Ms Stephanie Spilsbury¹, Ms Pauline Bass¹

¹Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic response at Alfred Health (AH) led to the formation of a new and novel Infection Prevention team dedicated to COVID-19 Case Management. Case Management Team (CMT) responsibilities include assessing staff with COVID-19 like symptoms, including post-vaccination. Vaccination is a key defence in preventing infection, transmission and severe illness from COVID-19. We discuss the CMT’s responsibilities and actions in returning staff experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms post-vaccination (Influenza and COVID-19) to work and the unexpected implications this has on the AH workforce since the program’s commencement in 2021.

Method: An online self-assessment (SA) form was developed for completion by staff experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms feeding through to a centralised database. The forms are reviewed by the CMT utilising responsive algorithms, standardised questions and a medical referral system to return staff safely to work.

Results: AH employs 9,872 staff. 26% of AH staff submitted a SA form post-vaccination (2,568 forms) with a mean of 1.16 furlough days per staff member. 16.7% of all symptomatic SA forms were related to post-vaccination symptoms. As of June 2021, 40% of AH staff have received their influenza vaccine and 70% have been vaccinated for COVID-19.

Conclusion: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, symptoms post-vaccination were not a workforce concern. Presently, caution needs to be applied with all staff experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms, including symptoms experienced post-vaccination. This new workforce burden is significant and requires consideration when implementing a vaccination program in healthcare.

Biography:

Stephanie Spilsbury is an Infection Prevention Nurse Consultant at Alfred Health in Melbourne with 5 years experience in Infection Prevention and 10 years experience in ICU. She has an interest in antimicrobial resistance and has recently been leading a COVID-19 response team. Stephanie is a MPH candidate at James Cook University and currently sits on the AMR Incident Management Team for the Victorian DHHS.