Government-wide edict on Covid booster jabs hits hurdle

New orders allowing public service bosses to set their own Covid vaccination policy are being considered by health officials after a government-wide rule hit a snag.

Victorian health officials are set to let public service bosses determine if their staff are required to get booster jabs after running up against opposition to a government-wide edict.

Discussions have been held over the past month with departments, unions and agencies about whether a third dose requirement is needed to address a slowdown in vaccination rates.

But feedback against the proposal forced them to reconsider, amid concerns that a large mandate would only frustrate workers intending to get a vaccinated later.

Victoria’s chief health officer Professor Brett Sutton is instead looking at new orders that would allow each agency to set up their own vaccination policy.

This would also include decisions on whether staff should be double-vaccinated.

Victoria Police has ­already asked members for feedback on its policy, which matches with ATAGI guidelines that three doses is considered fully vaccinated.

The new approach is a marked change from the industry-wide mandates last year that contributed to more than 94 per cent of the eligible population getting double-dosed.

By comparison, third doses for Victorians aged over 18 are sitting at 66.2 per cent after being available from the start of the year.

New orders may allow each individual government agencies to set up their own vaccination policy.

Last year, protests outside the CFMEU office in Melbourne’s CBD partially began because of opposition to a deadline given for construction workers to get both jabs.

It comes as Premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday extended Victoria’s pandemic declaration for another three months.

He confirmed in a statement on Wednesday night that the declaration was made following advice from the acting chief health officer.

The new extension will expire at 11.59pm on July 12 and subsequent extensions can last for up to three months.

Mr Andrews said he was satisfied on “reasonable grounds” there remained a serious risk to public health throughout Victoria due to Covid, including recent rises in case numbers and the anticipated Omicron BA.2 wave.

“This extension enables us to keep modest and sensible settings in place to reduce transmission and hospitalisation,” Mr Andrews said.

Queensland this week ditched the vaccine mandates in all but sensitive settings, and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declared it was time to let people “move on” with their lives.

Daniel Andrews hinted unvaccinated Victorians may soon be allowed back into hospitality and entertainment venues. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Theo Roussos and Johnny Sandish are angry about the state government mandates. Picture: Jason Edwards

“As soon as we can deal with those issues we will,’’ Mr Andrews said.

“But let’s get through these next few weeks. Let’s get past this peak in sub-variant Omicron cases and then we’ll have options.” Health experts believe the Omicron sub-variant BA.2 will peak this month.

The state recorded 12,150 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the number of active infections to 62,028.

“To have cases going up and have rules come off, that doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Mr Andrews said.

Brothers Theo and Tony Roussos, who own Degraves St cafe The Quarter, said Victoria had to end its vaccinated economy including check-ins.

“This continues to hamper struggling businesses,” Tony said.

What we should be doing is following other states and focusing on recovery.”

Originally published as Government-wide edict on Covid booster jabs hits hurdle