Australian retail workers, teachers, taxi drivers, hairdressers should jump the Covid vaccine queue

Business owners and industry leaders are pleading for the redefinition of “frontline workers” so these Aussies can get a vaccine.

Hairdressers Grace and Marylee Gallo would get the jab if it meant their business could stay open. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

Workers at the coalface of the Covid-19 crisis should be fast-tracked for vaccinations based on their occupation.

Business owners and industry leaders are pleading for the redefinition of “frontline workers” to allow retail workers, teachers, taxi drivers, and others with no choice but to continue working through the pandemic to jump the queue for jabs.

Currently, workers prioritised for Covid-19 vaccines are those in health care, aged care, disability care, meat processing, defence, police, fire and emergency services.

But business groups want this expanded to allow to take in those occupations where contact with the public can’t be avoided.

In May, Victoria allowed public transport, taxi and uber drivers to be vaccinated as part of what it dubbed priority workers.

Medical officer Ahmed at the Fairfield Showgrounds Covid testing clinic. Picture: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images

The NSW Government this week announced teachers in Fairfield, Canterbury Bankstown and Liverpool local government areas would be moved to the top of the list in a desperate bid to stop the surge in Covid-19 cases in south west Sydney.

But Australian Education Union federal president Correna Haythorpe said teachers – in schools, early childhood settings and TAFEs – should be prioritised nationally.

“There have been thousands of families in lockdown due to Covid-19 transmission in schools, including the families of teachers, principals and education support staff,” Ms Haythorpe said.

“This highlights the urgency of ensuring that the education workforce is as safe as possible from Covid-19 by prioritising their vaccination.”

The suggestion comes as new research from human resources company ELMO finds 76 per cent of Australians believe the economy can only return to normal with a successful vaccine rollout.

Retail and fast food union SDA’s NSW secretary Bernie Smith called for retail workers to also be added to the priority list.

Mr Smith said he was “furious” to see priority vaccinations given to teachers in the three Sydney LGAs but not retail workers.

“To ignore retail and fast-food workers is disgraceful and unconscionable,” Mr Smith said.

Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra agreed retail workers should be prioritised.

“These workers have often performed their roles at some personal risk and under the most challenging of circumstances,” Mr Zahra said.

“Unfortunately, Australia has lost its strong Covid health advantage, with most leading economies now much further ahead on vaccine uptake – and that will begin to impact our economic fortunes if we don’t reverse that position.”

Enrolled nurse John Maya administers the Pfizer vaccine to a client in Sydney. Picture: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Taxi, limousine and ride share drivers should be at the front of the vaccine queue, too, according to Australian Taxi Driver’s Association president Michael Jools and Uber Australia and New Zealand head of trust and safety Sean McIntyre.

Mr Jools said drivers needed to be able to protect themselves and their customers.

“But if everyone is claiming priority, nobody is going to get it,” he said.

Small Business Women Australia founder and chief executive Amanda Rose suggested vaccine priority be based on the groups that the government had shut down during previous outbreaks.

“If they are forcing a particular industry or business to shut down, that is their way of saying that setting is high risk,” she said.

“If they believe cafes are high risk or retail shops are high risk or hair salons are high risk, those workers should get priority.

“In general, there needs to be a clearer pathway for people to get back to doing what they are doing – and vaccination should not be the only option.”

Ms Rose said businesses following specific rules – such as vaccination, mask-wearing or social distancing – should be given exemption from lock downs.

“Lockdown can’t be the answer to every single time something is going wrong,” she said.

“There might be a new strain or something completely different to Covid in six months or six years so we need a process that is doable without the need for vaccination or lockdown at all.

“So much is being asked of small businesses and they are following the rules yet they are still the ones that are hurt the most.”

FEEL SAFE IN THE SALON

Hairdressers Grace and Marylee Gallo have been running their salon, Do or Dye, for 13 years but the latest lockdown has forced them to clear their appointment book.

Grace Gallo said the shut down had been a “major issue” for them and she would support hairdressers being prioritised for the vaccine – particularly if it meant they could stay open during outbreaks.

Hairdressers Grace and Marylee Gallo would get the jab if it meant their business could stay open. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

“We have lost a lot of money not being able to operate, even though we can comply with the 1.5m rule and make sure people sanitise and check in at the door,” the 41-year-old said.

“It’s been a major stress knowing we will have to do more marketing to get more clients in the door later (to make up for clients we have lost).”

The Hurlstone Park salon owner is eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine under the current rollout plan, but has been on the fence about whether to get it.

If vaccination allowed her to operate the salon during outbreaks, however, she said that would be enough to convince her to get the jab.

“If we were eligible and it was available and they made that as a rule, we would sign up tomorrow,” she said.

Hairdresser Bernie Brown, who works at Price Attack in Indooroopilly, said while hairdressers would never compare themselves to doctors or nurses the nature of their work puts them constantly in proximity to clients.

“Of course we follow all the guidelines and are vigilant about our responsibilities to keep everyone safe: knowing we are vaccinated would certainly give our clients peace of mind,” she said.

“Many of our Price Attack salons have quite a lot of older clients, so it would certainly help them to feel more comfortable and safe knowing we are vaccinated. It is really about ensuring everyone in the community feels safe so we can carry on as best we can in this ‘new normal’.”