Revealed: How many SA school workers refused Covid vaccination

Teachers and school staff have answered the call to protect against Covid in overwhelming numbers, as new figures reveal how many still said no.

Only 280 of South Australia’s 30,000 staff in public schools and early childhood settings have declared they will not be vaccinated against Covid-19.

Under a state government mandate, these staff members will not be allowed to work at school sites and have been or will be sent on leave.

The number has reduced considerably on early estimates from mid-November when 685 staff indicated hesitancy, an Education Department spokesman said.

However, the final number is not settled, with 169 staff applying for a medical exemption from the chief public health officer.

“Fewer than 1000 staff have not declared their status or intention, and we’re following up with them,” the spokesman said.

“Most of the staff in this category were on leave (maternity, long service leave, etc) prior to the deadline, which may explain why they’ve not updated their status.

“These employees will not be able to work in an education or early childhood setting until proof of vaccination or an approved medical exemption is provided.”

The vaccination mandate for all people who work at education sites, including volunteers but excluding incidental visitors such as delivery drivers, was announced on November 16.

Most teachers have complied with the vaccination mandate.

From December 11, all workers needed to be fully vaccinated or have their vaccinations booked.

From term 1, 2022, workers who did not usually attend sites during holidays, mostly teachers, and who failed to meet the mandate, would be on leave without pay or with pay if eligible, such as for long-service leave.

The ruling applied to other workers, such as administration or groundspeople, from December 11.

Principals were ordered on December 8 to send on leave staff who were not vaccinated or medically exempt, or hand them over to the department if they were non-compliant.

Some staff opposed to vaccination mandates had called for legal action but teachers’ unions backed safe work sites,

The spokesman said the low numbers meant the department was “very confident of our ability to adequately staff all our schools, preschools and children’s centres from the start of the 2022 school year”.

More than 93 per cent of staff had received at least one vaccination, with 86 per cent double vaccinated.

Catholic Education SA estimated at least 99 per cent of its 8000 staff had met the state government mandate.

Rates at independent schools varied but they would be required to meet the government ruling.