The University of Melbourne joins others in requiring Covid vax

Melbourne has joined two other universities in requiring students and staff to be double jabbed before returning to campus.

Professor Duncan Maskell, vice-chancellor of the University of Melbourne.

The University of Melbourne has joined the ranks of institutions that are making full vaccination against Covid-19 a requirement for students and staff before they return to campus.

La Trobe and Monash universities have already made a stand and Deakin is in a consultation process to do the same.

“This decision is based on public health advice and is aligned to the Victorian Government’s road map, which currently states that onsite learning and work can recommence for people who are fully vaccinated from 5 November,” Melbourne’s vice-chancellor, Duncan Maskell wrote in a message to the university community on Monday.

“From this date, all students, staff, contractors and visitors attending our campuses will be required to be fully vaccinated,” Professor Maskell said.

There was already a “large cohort of students and staff who study and work in settings that currently have vaccination requirements”.

The National Tertiary Education Union’s branch at the university immediately called “on the university to not issue a vaccine mandate at this time, and to instead engage with staff and the NTEU about the full suite of safety measures that will be required for a Covid-safe return to campuses for staff”.

“Ensuring the actual and perceived risks associated with returning to work on the university’s campuses is something that needs to be done together with employees, not as an edict from the vice-chancellor,” said NTEU branch president at the university, Annette Herrera, said. “The branch will be holding an all-members meeting next week for members to have a forum on this announcement and is engaging with student associations on these issues.”

Professor Maskell said the university took both its “position as a leader in public health” and its legal obligations “very seriously” and regarded its approach as “lawful and reasonable”.

He conceded exemptions would apply if there was a valid reason for being unable to be vaccinated, including, medical reasons “or not yet being eligible to be vaccinated in Victoria”.

“We will endeavour to support individuals with a valid exemption to complete their study or undertake their work, in a manner that is reasonable and practical.”

He said in cases where people chose not to vaccinate for other reasons, the university would “endeavour to support them to work and study remotely to the extent possible, but they will not be permitted to attend campus”.

Professor Maskell said the university was currently developing implementation plans to support its vaccination requirement and was exploring other measures, such as improved ventilation and increased use of outdoor spaces, to reduce the potential for transmission.

This built on precautions such as masks, QR codes, physical distancing, sanitiser stations, density limits and additional cleaning.

He said the university was preparing for its summer term and the first semester of 2022, when “we hope to be able to welcome you all back onto campus”.