Revealed: Number of unvaxxed Cairns health workers who missed Covid jab deadline
The number of Cairns and hinterland hospital staff refusing the Covid jab has been revealed after a mandatory vaccination deadline was reached.
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THE number of Cairns and Tablelands hospital staff refusing the Covid-19 jab has now been revealed after a mandatory vaccination deadline was reached this week.
Of a total 7142 Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service employees, 451 – or about 6.3 per cent – have no vaccination record
Of those 451 staff, 232 are on leave and do not need to become compliant until returning to work.
CHHHS executive director of medical services and head of the Covid-19 vaccination program Dr Don Mackie said the service was working through the granting of exemptions, staff redeployment and working from home options for staff.
“There is a whole range of options. We’re still just working through the impact of those,” he said.
“Some people have legitimate health reasons through exemption, so we’re just working through that.
“Maybe people who had a reaction on the first dose, and (have been granted) an exemption for a second dose.”
The health service received 212 vaccination exemption requests from workers.
Dr Mackie said the vaccination mandate was a directive from Queensland Health director general Dr John Wakefield to ensure a safe workplace for all staff.
“So as employers, we have an obligation to our staff to make sure they are as protected as they can be,” he said.
“As I say there will be people who will hold out for whatever reason, but I’m actually quite encouraged.”
Cairns Hospital’s top doctor confirmed a significant number of staff at Tablelands facilities had refused Covid vaccinations.
“There are a couple of smaller areas where there are groups and we’re working through, Atherton is one of (those areas),” he said.
However, one vaccine-hestitant health worker in the region has raised concerns that staff are being “gagged”
“We are concerned about the precedent in healthcare this (action) sets,” she said.
“Why should there be so much fear about saying what you believe, why are we being gagged?
“And there is no clear directive, the last directive from the Queensland Health director general was trying to scare people into getting the vaccine.”
Feeling pressured into getting vaccinated, the worker said she feared health employees could be struck off as registered health practitioners for refusing the jab.
“No one is allowed to speak out at the moment because we will lose out livelihoods forever,” they said.
“We are being gagged by Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.”
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath, during a recent visit to Cairns, said Queensland Health was “working through” management of unvaccinated staff.
“What we didn’t want to do, is do what some other jurisdictions have done and (impose) a hard and fast deadline, and then they immediately extended it because (they) couldn’t reach it,” she said.
“Our deadline has come and gone, and our hospitals are still operating.”
Cairns-based Together Union Queensland senior vice-president Dr Sandy Donald said “dreadful” misinformation combined with poor messaging had impacted vaccine uptake rates.
“Government messaging about vaccination started off bad and there was not good consistent messaging (but) science shows being vaccinated prevents you getting sick,” he said.
“I have sympathy for those that are hesitant but the vaccine is a proven solution to protecting workers and patients.”
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Originally published as Revealed: Number of unvaxxed Cairns health workers who missed Covid jab deadline
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