Here are the recommendations from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), announced last night:

-The original ‘fully vaccinated’ vaccination statusis being renamed to ‘up to date’ status — people aged 16 and over within Australia must complete three doses to be considered ‘up to date’,Currently, people aged 16 and over in Australia who have received their second doseas early as three months latercan receive a booster dose

-However! The Health Minister has explicitly stated that completing three doses to achieve ‘up to date’ statusdoes not apply to those enteringAustralia, from overseas — the ‘fully vaccinated’ requirement for entering Australia from overseasremains two doses of an approved vaccine(Johnson & Johnson requires only one dose)

-For those within Australia, ifmore than six months have passed since the second dose without receiving a booster, the vaccination status will change to ‘overdue’. People under 16 continue to be considered ‘up to date’ after two doses. Under current federal rules, a booster is not mandatory unless you work in an aged care facility.

ATAGIThe above recommendations are due to take effect in 2022, by the end of March,, and the next federal cabinet meeting is also in March.

-States and territories may subsequently introduce their own requirements — Victoria has been the most active in this area, with New South Wales and Queensland also raising the possibility,but as ofnowit remains only under consideration — no state government has officially stated that three doses are required to enter.Based on previous comments from premiers, once the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ is updated,it is more likely that activities within the state will be subject to restrictions,for example, people without a booster may be restricted from entering public venues. We will provide further updates as more information becomes available.

For more updates, see the second article in today’s post

If you received your two doses in China and wish to get a booster after arriving in Australia,you will likely need [recognition of your overseas vaccination],which essentially means having your overseas vaccination recorded in the Australian health system — please refer to the following article for details on how to complete this process:[Latest] Is my Sinopharm vaccine recognised in Australia? Are there age restrictions? Do I still need testing and quarantine on arrival? How do I get my vaccine recognised? How do I complete the ATD? All your questions answered!

The programme focuses on the fundamental knowledge required for animal care and animal-related work,includingrestraint, meeting daily nutrition and hygiene needs, safe handling and transport of companion animals, and infection prevention in routine careand more.

Students must also choose to specialise in either animal behaviour science or veterinary nursing:

The animal behaviour stream focuses on the maintenance and correction of pet (especially dog) behaviour and psychology;

the veterinary nursing stream focuses on assisting veterinarians and veterinary nurses in caring for animals (particularly cats and dogs), with students learning anatomy, physiology, body structure, and clinical procedures.

TAFE QLD Course Recommendation

CertificateIII in Animal Studies*

Certificate III in Animal Studies

Entry Requirements:

-Completion of Year 10

-Non-school leavers must hold relevant work experience or qualifications

-Language requirements: Academic IELTS 6.0, with no band below 5.5

-Duration: 6 months

-Campus (intake dates): Gold Coast Southport (January 2022, April 2022, July 2022, October 2022)

Career pathways upon completion include: animal trainer, veterinary nurse assistant, animal control assistant, animal health technician, kennel and animal shelter attendant, and pet industry worker.

If you would like to focus more on animal care, you can enrol in the Certificate III in Animal Studies / Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing packaged programme.Building on the Certificate III, the Certificate IV will take you further into animal healthcare and nursing.

The programme provides systematic training in how to support animals receiving in-patient care,particularly surgical preparation, assisting during procedures, and monitoring anaesthetised animals. Students will also develop knowledge in pathology, including pathology testing procedures, animal X-rays, veterinary dental care, and preparation procedures.

TAFE QLD Course Recommendation

CertificateIII in Animal Studies

CertificateIV in Veterinary Nursing*

Certificate III in Animal Studies | Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing

Entry Requirements:

-Completion of Year 10;

-Non-school leavers must hold relevant work experience or qualifications

-Language requirements: Academic IELTS 6.0, with no band below 5.5

-Duration: 1 year and 6 months

-Campus (intake dates): Gold Coast Southport (January 2022, April 2022 (full), July 2022)

Work Placement:

During the Certificate III,students may choose to complete 80 hours of work placement;

during the Certificate IV,students are required to complete 240 hours of work placement to ensure practical application of their learning.

Career pathways include: veterinary nurse, animal health technician, and more.