Qld Health Covid vaccine mandate to be scrapped

Queensland Health is set to allow thousands of staff who resigned or were sacked to return to work.

Queensland Health is set to scrap its Covid-19 vaccination mandates within two weeks allowing thousands of nurses and other health staff back to work.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman will today (Friday) announce the decision to start consultation on getting rid of rules that force staff to be vaccinated against Covid, two years after they were brought in.

Thousands of staff have been sacked, resigned or are still on leave as a result of their unwillingness to get the vaccine.

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer has advised it is no longer necessary to continue COVID-19 vaccination requirements for Queensland Health and Queensland Ambulance Service staff.

A two-week consultation period with staff, unions, patient safety advocacy groups, and other stakeholders will begin on Monday on whether to repeal the current mandate.

Following feedback, a final decision will be made by the Acting Director-General of Queensland Health based on the Chief Health Officer’s advice.

Nurse Michelle Williams was sacked three weeks ago. pic: Lyndon Mechielsen

Health Employment Directive No.12/21 was introduced by Queensland Health in September 2021, requiring all employees working in a facility or service where health care is provided, to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman said while some of the public health measures were difficult during the pandemic, including the vaccination mandate, Queensland had one of the lowest mortality rates in the world.

“The decision to undertake consultation on the vaccination requirement has been informed by advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, the Communicable Diseases Network Australia, and infectious diseases and infection control experts,” she said.

Queensland’s acting Chief Health Officer Dr Catherine McDougall said she had advised the Director-General of Queensland Health there was no clinical need to continue the requirement for staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“As with any decision I make, it is backed by the latest scientific evidence and health advice,” she said.

“At the time it was introduced, Queensland – like all jurisdictions – was particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

“Vaccination rates were low, the community was experiencing repeated COVID-19 waves and transmission rates were high.”

The decision to repeal the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for Queensland Health and Queensland Ambulance Service staff is consistent with steps taken by other Queensland Government departments and other jurisdictions.

Nurses who were sacked by Queensland Health, Li, Michelle Williams and Rachael Smith. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

The news will be bitter sweet for the likes of Logan nurses Michelle Williams and Rachael who sacked within the last few weeks and after it was announced there would be a review into whether the mandates should be axed.

Ms Williams, a mother of two and highly trained ICU nurse had worked at Logan for 15 years before being sacked three weeks ago.

“I’m shocked really that you could work your whole life and have two degrees to get where you are and to be just thrown out like that,” she said.

Ms Williams was on long service leave travelling around the country with her family when her employer started asking her to prove her vaccination status.

She said she didn’t feel comfortable getting the vaccine and as such was never able to return to work.

“Financially it’s been an enormous burden … we’ve taken the kids out of (private) school and had to sell our investment property,” she said.

Nurses Professional Association Queensland secretary Ella Leach said it beggared belief that some nurses were working as truck drivers and cleaners while Queensland Health was in the midst of a workforce shortage.

Vials of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine are pictured at a pharmacy in Brisbane.

The NPAQ estimates around 3000 health workers are missing off the back of the mandates.

“Their absence from the workplace poses a threat to patients every day and the persistent staffing shortage will end up with more blood on Queensland Health’s hands,” she said.

“Queensland Health has acknowledged the nationwide shortage of nurses and midwives, yet continues to terminate their staff after sidelining them for two years.

“These actions clearly demonstrate a blatant disregard for the critical nature of our current staffing crisis.”

Rachael, an emergency nurse and single mother, who asked not have her last name published, said she ended up living in a caravan after she could no longer afford her rent.

“I want my career back and I want my job but I have lost complete trust in them in how they treated us,” she said.

“I had to do cleaning jobs, I worked at a chip shop a few evenings a week, anything I could just try and grab some money to feed us.”

Rachael was on scene for a horrific car accident near Samford in September last year where she desperately tried to help save the life of a young man.

“It was horrific. But it just really hit me that I can do this and it’s what I’m on this earth to do.”

The boy’s mother flew to Queensland to thank Rachael for being with her son as he died and trying to save him.

“She couldn’t get over the fact that I was not allowed to work,” she said.

Li is one of seven midwives who no longer works at Logan hospital due the vaccination mandates.