Territory healthcare workers are to face a COVID-19 vaccination mandate as the ACT Chief Health Officer prepares to sign a new public health direction.
Announced by Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, the direction would require workers in certain health care settings to be vaccinated.
Mr Barr said that although the Territory had very high vaccination rates, the virus posed a greater risk in health care settings and this required the highest possible level of vaccination against COVID-19.
Minister for Health, Rachel Stephen-Smith said the decision to introduce mandatory vaccinations for health care workers was in line with recommendations from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and consistent with actions taken in other Australian jurisdictions.
“Health care settings provide care for people with COVID-19 and therefore health care workers have higher risk of potential exposure to COVID-19,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“We have seen the impact of COVID-19 outbreaks in hospitals in other jurisdictions, including on vulnerable patients,” she said.
“While infection prevention and control has so far been very effective in Canberra’s hospitals, mandatory vaccination in these settings is an added layer of protection for workers, patients and the community.”
Ms Stephen-Smith said the public health direction was expected to cover staff in any health care facility operated by Canberra Health Services, or in any hospital or hospice, as well as ambulance services and other patient transport.
The Minister said there would be a phased approach to implementation, with health care workers in those settings to be required to have one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by 29 October and to be fully vaccinated by the start of December.
