WorkSafe figures reveal how many essential services workers forced to have Covid jabs were harmed
Dozens of Victorians remain off work after suffering Covid jab reactions — with some experiencing life-altering complications — resulting in $4.37m in WorkCover claims.
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Dozens of Victoria’s frontline staff remain off work after suffering serious injuries from Covid-19 vaccines, resulting in $4.37m in WorkCover claims to date.
New figures released by WorkSafe Victoria have revealed up to 125 essential services workers who had to take a vaccine to keep their jobs sustained serious injuries, with some people suffering life-altering conditions after having the jab.
More than 40 cases remain open, which could see ongoing payments of hundreds of thousands of dollars continue from the state’s trouble-plagued WorkCover system.
While vaccine injuries are rare, some can be life-altering.
Under Victorian legislation, only people with a “significant reaction” can claim cover.
This includes cases where people suffered severe blood clots, allergic reactions, seizures or stroke that can be directly linked to getting a Covid vaccine that was requested by their workplace.
Many workers who continue to claim workcover were considered fit and healthy before taking a shot under the Victorian government’s “no jab, no work” mandate in 2021.
Given the stigma around vaccine injuries few people want to speak publicly about their ongoing health battles.
One known case of a vaccine injury in Victoria is Gareth O’Gradie, a 41-year-old Melbourne teacher – a fit father-of-two who loved running and footy – who developed severe pericarditis in July 2021 after having the Pfizer vaccine.
He spent 90 days in hospital and had open heart surgery and was able to start a return to work plan part time earlier this year.
Another female health worker, in a statement to the Herald Sun, said she continued to suffer after her employer told her she had to have a booster vaccine, despite her having a letter from a cardiologist requesting an exemption.
Both have joined a class action filed by NR Barbi Solicitor in the Federal Court in April, which is arguing negligence on behalf of the Therapeutic Goods Administration, which approved the use of multiple vaccine brands in Australia during the pandemic.
Dr Melissa McCann, a Queensland practitioner who organised crowd-funding for the class action, said the true impact of vaccine injuries was not yet known in Australia.
“Since the filing of this class action, I have been contacted by many hundreds more injured Australians, who have expressed relief that medical professionals are beginning to recognise and respect the enormous harm that many have experienced following vaccination,” she said.
“I have also been contacted by many doctors from various specialties, who have expressed support for the class action and voiced their growing concern over the injuries seen among their patient groups as well.”
Natalie Strijland, the class action instructing solicitor, said people who continued to suffer from a vaccine injury could still come forward and join the proceedings.
It comes as thousands of Australians continue to fight for compensation under the federal government’s Covid-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme, which covers expenses of $1000 or more from injury resulting in hospitalisation or death.
A Victorian government spokesperson said as of April, more than 65 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine had been administered in Australia, which had reportedly been linked to 9300 hospitalisations.
“We’ve known for a long time that staying up-to-date with vaccinations protects you and your loved ones and significantly reduces your chances of the most severe outcomes of Covid – needing hospital treatment, ICU care or at worst, dying from Covid,” they said.
“We strongly encourage anyone who’s due for their next dose to do so as soon as they can.”
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