SA Health dumps its mandatory Covid vaccination policy for employees

Years after interstate health services dropped mandatory Covid vaccination for staff, SA Health has dropped the policy which saw hundreds of staff sacked for refusing the jab.

SA Health has dumped its mandatory Covid vaccination policy for employees, years after the virus emerged – and long after the rest of the nation dropped it amid multiple lawsuits from workers who were fired for not getting the jab.

In a surprise announcement, Department of Health and Wellbeing chief executive Robyn Lawrence said from Friday Covid vaccination is no longer mandatory for SA Health staff in patient-facing roles.

She stressed vaccination continues to be strongly recommended for all South Australians, especially healthcare workers.

The state’s mandatory vaccination rules sparked a high-profile Supreme Court challenge including nurse and AFLW footballer Deni Varnhagen.

Nurse and AFLW Crows player Deni Varnhagen arriving at the South Australia Supreme Court in Adelaide. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards

In April, chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier noted SA was “the only state that requires an active refusal declaration.”

The policy change follows consultation with staff and recognition of the changing environment around Covid immunity in the community.

The mandatory policy dates to October 2021, when SA Health Category A and B workers – dealing with patients – were required to have at least two doses of an approved Covid vaccination to work in patient-facing roles.

Of SA Health’s 45,000 staff, about 245 permanent employees who refused vaccination were sacked under the policy.

SA Health now says since late 2021, population immunity to Covid has reached “near

universal immunity” due to vaccination, past infection or a combination of both.

Officials says scientific evidence shows that hybrid immunity – from being vaccinated and also experiencing Covid infection – provides the highest level of protection against potential severe disease, long-Covid or death.

Dr Robyn Lawrence still supports the benefits of Covid vaccination. Picture: Dean Martin

Ms Lawrence said: “We still strongly support the benefits of vaccination and still strongly recommend staff are vaccinated to protect themselves against Covid-19.

“It was the right policy decision to do everything we could to limit the impacts of Covid-19 by requiring staff to vaccinate.

“Now we have high community immunity to Covid-19 and we have consulted extensively with our health workforce. It’s the right time to update our policy to reflect the change in circumstances.”

The fallout from the handling of Covid continues with SA Health telling The Advertiser it did not keep records on how many people died after going to hospital for a non-Covid condition, catching the disease then dying.

Lawsuits from government Covid employment policies include the case of Daniel Shepherd, 44. who on February 24, 2022, had a Pfizer mRNA booster shot required to keep his job with the Department for Child Protection, despite suffering adverse symptoms for previous vaccinations.

He was diagnosed with post-vaccine pericarditis, an inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart, blamed on the booster vaccination but was denied workers compensation until the successful legal action.

Jan Baulderstone with a photo of her husband, Bruce Isaacs. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Adelaide widow Jan Baulderstone of Brighton was awarded a six figure compensation payment in recognition a recommended Covid vaccine caused the paralysis and eventual death of her late husband Bruce Isaacs who died in April 2022 less than a year after receiving an AstraZeneca shot.