Catholic Education Tasmania defends decision not to mandate vaccinations for teachers

The state’s Catholic education system has defended its decision not to impose a vaccine mandate for teachers, while a vaccine cut-off date nears for state school employees. LATEST >

TASMANIA’S Catholic education system has defended its decision not to impose mandatory vaccination requirements on its teachers ahead of the school year.

A mandate does apply to teachers in the state’s government schools, who must provide evidence they are fully vaccinated by February 8.

But Catholic Education Tasmania said the voluntary vaccination rate among its staff was very high anyway.

“With our staff voluntary vaccination at 98 per cent, this response already exceeds the state level,’’ CET executive director Dr Gerard Gaskin said.

“Naturally, we are encouraging fully-vaccinated staff to get their booster vaccinations according to the recommended schedule.”

But a parent of a Catholic secondary school student, who did not want to be identified, said she was surprised vaccinations had not been mandated for teachers.

“I don’t understand the rationale behind it,’’ she said.

“A lot of people would assume it would be the same as the state school teachers are required to be.”

Jason Szczerbanik and Vidhya Chelliah assembling back to school Covid packs. Picture: Linda Higginson

It comes as Covid back to school packages are prepared for parents, with distribution for early childhood education and care services to start on Monday.

“The kits include rapid antigen tests and masks which will be available through a click and collect system for services with distribution points located across the state,’’ Acting Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said.

“I would like to thank those who are working hard to ensure early childhood education and care services have the tools and resources they need to keep children and staff safe.”

The department of education said all staff including teachers were required to be vaccinated by the time classes return on February 9.

“There is an exemption for staff who provide evidence of a vaccine medical contraindication,’’ a department spokesman said.

“The department has, and will continue to, support its employees to access the Covid vaccination program, as well as assisting in updating their vaccination status.

“With 90 per cent of [department of education] teachers having already provided evidence of their vaccination status and a further increase expected before school returns, there is minimal impact expected.

“More so, the mandatory vaccinations requirement is a critical element in the Covid safety in schools plans.”

Meanwhile, at the University of Tasmania, the potential impacts of its own vaccine mandate are not expected to be fully seen until the start of first semester next month.

“Staff and students strongly supported the introduction of mandatory vaccinations, and the rate of compliance has been exceptionally high,’’ a UTAS spokesman said.

“On average, more than 1500 staff and students are attending our campuses every day, all of whom are fully vaccinated or have a medical exemption.

“Students do not return to study in large numbers until semester 1 next month and many staff are on leave so it is not yet clear how many people will elect not to comply with the requirements, though indications are the number will be very small.”

Mr Rockliff said the state’s vaccination rollout for 5-11 year-olds was progressing well, with more than 44 per cent of eligible children now having received their first dose, which he said was higher than the national average of 28 per cent.

He said there were many appointments available at special children’s vaccination clinics before schools return right across Tasmania.

Tasmania records 584 new cases of Covid-19

Struggling Tasmanian businesses will be given an update on the government’s Covid-19 Business Support Program later this morning as the number of positive cases recorded overnight remains stable.

Tasmania has recorded 584 new cases of Covid-19 taking the total number of people infected to 4942.

Another 668 Tasmanians have recovered from the virus and been released from isolation.

There are nine hospital patients being treated specifically for Covid-19 and one is in ICU.

No more Covid-19 deaths have been recorded since Wednesday.

The business program was established to support businesses whose operations were impacted due to critical staff being required to isolate or quarantine due to Covid-19, being forced to close due to a Public Health Direction or suffered a significant drop in customer demand.

Those impacts must have resulted in a reduction in turnover of 30 per cent or more between December 15 – when Tasmania’s borders reopened – and January 14.

State Growth Minister Roger Jaensch will provide the update at 11.30am.