Two Public Health Emergency Orders (PHEOs #8 and #10) authorising COVID-19 vaccination activity for workforces and entities in Victoria are currently in force and expire on 20 August 2023. 

During the Victorian COVID-19 pandemic, declaration Public Health Emergency Order #8 (PHEO #8) was enacted to permit emergency workforces, including registered nurses (who are not nurse immunisers), enrolled nurses and registered pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines without written order of a medical practitioner. PHEO #8 also applies to Aboriginal health practitioners (under administration order from a registered medical practitioner or nurse practitioner). 
 
PHEO #8 continues in force until it expires on Sunday 20 August 2023.
 
Following the expiry of PHEO #8 on Sunday, nursing staff previously operating under PHEO #8 must only administer the COVID-19 vaccine in accordance with the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 and Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2017 as it applies to their profession and training. This means that the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine will be consistent with the administration of other vaccines. For example, endorsed enrolled nurses and registered nurses (who are not nurse immunisers) may only administer vaccines under the written order of a medical practitioner.
 
Nurse immuniser applies to any registered nurse who has completed a Victorian approved immuniser program of study. Nurse immunisers are authorised to possess and administer COVID vaccines in accordance with the conditions outlined in a Secretary Approval until 19 October 2023 (inclusive), unless revoked earlier. Similarly, pharmacist immunisers have approval to administer COVID-19 vaccines until 19 October 2023. 

Consultation on the future of PHEO #10 will be forthcoming. 

Workforce training requirements 

Emergency authorised workforces are no longer required to undertake the Victorian MVEC COVID-19 vaccination training modules as part of their qualification to administer COVID-19 vaccines. 

The MVEC modules, originally introduced to support the state-run vaccination hubs, supplemented the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 vaccination training program and included: 

• Victorian COVID-19 eLearning Competency Training Package 
• Victorian COVID-19 eLearning competency – MVEC Immunising children and infants. 

Authorised workforces must continue to complete the Commonwealth training program before undertaking vaccination activity along with any other requirements as set out in the Victorian COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines.



More information: 

• Information for COVID-19 vaccine providers | Coronavirus Victoria
• Medicines and poisons recent updates | health.vic.gov.au
• Nurse immunisers (health.vic.gov.au)
• Secretary-approval-nurse-immunisers-in-force-from-20-October-2022.docx (live.com)
• Pharmacist immunisers | health.vic.gov.au

Any queries should be directed to COVID19VPO@health.vic.gov.au.