COVID-19 vaccine: May 10 deadline set for all health workers dealing with COVID-positive patients
An urgent new directive has been issued following complaints over sub-standard PPE in Queensland hospitals, with all health staff working with COVID-positive patients being given a deadline to get vaccinated.
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ALL health staff working with COVID-positive patients will need to be fully vaccinated by May 10.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath announced the new health directive would be distributed following an audit of PPE use in hospitals sparked by union complaints and a case brought to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission by the Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union.
Ms D’Ath said the results of the audit had been provided to relevant unions and “the majority” of hospitals had been doing the right thing.
“A health directive will be going out, and the HHSs have already been notified, that come the 10th of May, all staff working with COVID patients will have to be fully vaccinated,” she said.
“So not just their first vaccine, they’ll have to have both vaccinations - so fully vaccinated.
“They’ll all have to be fit tested and they’ll have to be fit checked at the start of each shift and will be subject to daily surveillance.
“So we want to make sure that they’ve got the confidence, that they’re as safe as possible working with these COVID patients and we want to make sure of their safety as well.
“And we also want to make sure we’re doing everything possible to reduce the risk of transmission so this is the steps we’ve take as a consequence of the audit.
“The majority of hospitals are all doing the right thing and have been doing this but we know we can do better so that’s what we’re doing.”
Queensland Health was ordered by the QIRC to do an urgent state-wide audit on fit testing of PPE used by frontline nurses working directly with COVID-19 positive patients as well as people suspected of having the virus on April 15.
It followed several nurses contracting the virus at the PA Hospital, which lead to Brisbane lockdown.
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