The Australian Government is ensuring the COVID-19 Vaccination Program meets the needs of everyone in Australia, including those from culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
To be successful, high uptake of COVID-19 vaccination will be required in Australia. Therefore it is critical that the vaccine program is designed and delivered in a manner which is accessible, inclusive and culturally safe.
This includes ensuring that communications are developed and targeted for CALD communities and that information and services are delivered in appropriate languages and formats and within appropriate facilities and locations.
The Government recognises that people from multicultural communities are a significant part of the health, aged care, childcare and disability workforce and will be among the first people in Australia to receive vaccinations.
A comprehensive vaccine implementation plan (the Plan) has been developed in partnership with multicultural specialist agencies – and with advice from the national CALD Communities COVID-19 Health Advisory Group – to reach people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
The Plan also ensures that the medical workforce administering vaccinations will be trained to work with people from culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities to ensure that services are delivered in a culturally appropriate and safe way, with the assistance of interpreters where needed.
The Plan is supported by the $31 million COVID-19 vaccination public information campaign which is now rolling out across the country, which included an additional $1.3 million to reach culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities through their peak multicultural organisations.
This Plan is available on the Department of Health website.
Vaccinations will be accessible on a rolling basis, depending on vaccine delivery schedules and prioritisation of groups for most urgent vaccination.
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