Major backflip on cops’ vaccine mandate in SA

Police officers who didn't receive their Covid-19 jab and were temporarily stood down from the front line will soon return to work after a major backflip.

South Australian police no longer need to be fully vaccinated to work in the sector after the state’s top cop backflipped on his own law.

Back in November last year, a direction was issued under the Emergency Management Act making it compulsory for all SA Police employees to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Only a small portion of the force — less than 1.5 per cent or about 80 staff members — did not receive the jabs and weren’t allowed to engage in any police work or attend workplace settings.

Although the majority of police received their two doses, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens announced on Friday that the rule would be revoked as of 7am on Monday and be replaced by a managerial direction.

The commissioner — who is also the state co-ordinator who writes such directions — said he was “confident” the risks to his employees and members of the public could be managed through alternative controls rather than standing down his unvaccinated staff.

But those workers without a vaccination will need to undertake rapid antigen testing as soon as they present to a police setting at the start of their shift.

Their results will need to immediately be provided to their supervisor and they will need to wear a properly fitted PFR mask throughout their shift.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the risks to his employees and the public could be managed through alternative controls. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

While those unvaccinated staff can return to work, Mr Stevens said there would be some “low level” limitations in attending certain settings, like aged care, disability facilities and the forensic science building.

“SAPOL has been constantly monitoring this dynamic and fast-changing situation,” he said.

“The advice from SA Health has given us the ability to reconsider the position.

“We believe this can be managed through their supervisors and ensuring that we deploy the right people to those sorts of jobs.”

Mr Stevens said high vaccination rates in the general public and the police force were the reasons for the change.

“We have assessed all those factors and put mitigating steps in place to make sure that we’ve minimised that risk, so we are confident that this is the sensible and appropriate time to lift the mandate.

“The direction was a lawful one and appropriate and proportionate at the time that it was made given the circumstances. Those officers were given options and they exercised those options … but there will be no compensation as far as I’m concerned.”

He said lifting mandates on other industries would be based on advice that came from those sectors.

Ms Stevens said more than 98.5 per cent of the force were fully vaccinated. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

It was also announced on Friday that the direction affecting healthcare workers had also changed.

It now allows those who are unvaccinated and work in the setting “on a single occasion or on an infrequent and irregular basis” to return to working in that facility.

Like those in SA Police, the healthcare workers will need to produce a negative rapid antigen test that can be taken either on the day they attend the setting or 24 hours prior and must wear appropriate PPE.

South Australia recorded 2047 new Covid-19 cases on Friday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

The state recorded 2047 new Covid-19 cases reported on Friday, bringing the total number of active infections to 18,363.

A woman in her 60s and a man in his 80s who tested positive to the virus died.

Over the past week, the number of daily infections gradually rose, but the hospitalisation figures remained consistent.

Currently, 106 infected patients are in hospital, including nine people in intensive care. One person is on a ventilator.