Shot in the dark: nurses demand clarity over mandatory vaccine rules
Authorities have released a list of workers covered by new rules mandating Covid-19 vaccinations and there are some unexpected occupations named. LATEST >>
Tasmania
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THOUSANDS more Tasmanian healthcare workers caught up in the government’s wide net of mandatory vaccinations will have to get the jab to keep their jobs, and some of the professions included are quite unexpected.
Tasmanian health authorities have released a list of workers covered by the new rules mandating Covid-19 vaccinations, and a union says some will be surprised to find out they are now required to be jabbed.
Practitioners in public and private health settings such as hospitals, along with general practitioners and aged care workers, will now be required to be vaccinated against the virus, in what came as no shock to those workers.
But the mandate also includes a list of 23 allied health professional fields, including audiologists, chiropractors, dietitians, music therapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, social workers and speech pathologists. (See below for the full list)
It means anyone captured under the new rules must have either received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine or provide evidence of a booking or vaccine exemption form by October 31.
State health commander Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said the new public health direction issued on Friday would help protect the state’s most vulnerable from a potential Covid-19 outbreak.
“All Tasmanian Department of Health employees and contractors will also be required to be vaccinated,” she said.
“This is a critical step to ensuring the protection of our entire health workforce and to protect vulnerable Tasmanians in their care.”
Ms Morgan-Wicks said the rules were developed in consultation with unions including the Health and Community Services Union, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, Community and Public Sector Union, as well as the Australian Medical Association, Primary Health Tasmania and the Pharmacy Guild and Pharmacy Society.
CPSU Tasmanian secretary Thirza White said it could come as a shock to some allied health professionals, especially those who work outside a healthcare setting.
“There will definitely be some who will be surprised to find out that they are now required to be vaccinated, particularly those who work outside a healthcare setting and weren’t given priority access in the vaccination roll out,” she said.
“What’s missing from [Friday’s] announcement is detail on the arrangements for the small number of employees in the state service who are unable or unwilling to get vaccinated.”
Occupational Therapy Australia’s Tasmanian chair Fiona O’Keeffe said she felt strongly that health professionals should be vaccinated.
“There’s outliers in every profession and that’s why it needs to be mandated,” she said.
Mrs O’Keeffe said there were 365 occupational therapists registered in Tasmania who worked in community health and mental health settings, private practice, and in the area of disability.
“Occupational therapists work across all the lifespan, from children and babies ... right through to people at end of life in hospice care. So we’re seeing people at all times of their life and it’s nearly always people that have risk factors,” she said.
“It’s absolutely essential we make sure we are not the vector that brings illness to them, but it’s also to protect ourselves.”
Ms Morgan-Wicks said exemptions to the requirement would apply, including for those unable to be vaccinated due to medical conditions.
FULL LIST OF OCCUPATIONS REQUIRING VACCINATIONS:
- Art therapist
- Audiologist
- Chiropractor
- Counsellor holding a Master of Counselling, or equivalent, from a tertiary institution
- Dietitian
- Exercise physiologist
- Genetic counsellor
- Music therapist
- Occupational therapist
- Optometrist
- Orthotist
- Osteopath
- Perfusionist
- Pharmacist
- Physiotherapist
- Podiatrist
- Prosthetist
- Psychologist
- Rehabilitation counsellor
- Radiologists/radiographers
- Social worker
- Sonographer
- Speech pathologist
Tassie nurses demand clarity over ‘vague’ vax mandate
The nurses union say their phone lines are running hot from bewildered healthcare workers seeking clarity over the vague new mandatory vaccination rules.
However, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian secretary Emily Shepherd said no clarity was forthcoming from the government, which remains light on the finer details.
The health department says it will be explaining the details, such as who classifies as a healthcare worker, at a later date.
In the meantime, Ms Shepherd said they were left with nothing but a shot in the dark.
“The ANMF has sought urgent information on this decision so that we can reliably inform
members. We have also requested an urgent meeting with the Department of Health to
better understand what this will mean for members,” Ms Shepherd said.
“We were only advised minutes before this was announced and we
were not consulted on this decision.”
Healthscope general manager Kathryn Berry said they supported the Tasmanian Government’s announcement and would work to get all their staff vaccinated.
“Our patients and the community expect healthcare workers to be vaccinated because we care for vulnerable people,” she said.
“We are an organisation that champions safety for our people, doctors and patients. Being vaccinated is evidence of that safety commitment to protect our people and community.”
Australian Medical Association Tasmanian president Helen McArdle said they, too, supported the government’s no jab no job healthcare policy.
We’re very pleased with the announcement today. It’s something that folks at a national level and a local level have been advocating for some time,” Dr McArdle said.
“If a person absolutely will not submit to vaccination, then they should seriously reconsider whether they are in the appropriate profession.”
Strict protocols in place for Tassie repatriation flight
A no jab no job policy will soon be in place for all healthcare workers, the Tasmanian Government announced on Friday.
All employees, whether they work in public hospitals or private clinics, must get their Covid vaccinations by October 31 or else find alternative work arrangements.
The mandatory vaccine rules will not apply to those with exemption certificates or those who have already booked, but are waiting for their appointment.
The policy remains light on detail, however a public health direction will be issued in the coming week that will go more in depth on the particulars.
Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff said this was a necessary step, given the rapidly worsening situation across the country.
“People are dying. We’ve had 13 deaths in Tasmania and we don’t want anyone else to die from Covid-19. That’s why we’re making the calls we’re making,” Mr Rockliffe said.
“We do not want to see what is happening in NSW and other states. Daily we see thousands of cases, and we shouldn’t be desensitised to that.”
State health commander Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said 80 per cent of public healthcare workers were already vaccinated, but that they wouldn’t rest until it was 100 per cent.
“Given the imminent threat of Delta to Tasmania it is critical that we vaccinate the remainder of this workforce to protect the health and safety of all persons working in healthcare settings in Tasmania and to protect the vulnerable patient cohort in their care,” Ms Morgan-Wicks said.
“We will work to ensure all unvaccinated healthcare workers will have access to the Pfizer vaccine with workplace clinics. “
Within the broader community, M Morgan-Wicks said the vaccine rollout was going exceedingly well with 450,000 arms jabbed since February.
As the state comes to the end of week three in the “super six week” vaccination blitz over 60% of eligible Tasmanians have received their first dose of the vaccine as vaccinations open up to 12 to 15-year-olds later this month.
Following a super clinic in Hobart and scheduled super clinics in Launceston and Burnie, youth super clinics will be set up across the state in October in an attempt to protect the younger generation.
From September 13 all GPs participating in the vaccination rollout will have access to Pfizer.
However, Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said Tasmanians must not fall into complacency given the rapidly growing caseloads on the mainland.
Dr Veitch said it was not a matter of if, but when coronavirus would return to Tasmania’s shores.
“The threat to Tasmania, despite our robust prevention of people with Covid coming into Tasmania, the risk is almost certainly increasing,” Dr Veitch said.
“I would hope that when coronavirus does come to Tasmania it is later rather than sooner, but we can’t always choose the timing of these things so we really have to be prepared now.”
Hobart repatriation flight
It’s been revealed around 165 returning Australians will need to return two negative Covid tests before departing on a repatriation flight back to Hobart this Sunday.
Those arriving from the UK will undergo two weeks of hotel quarantine in Hobart’s Ibis Hotel, Acting Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced today.
All workers at the hotel will be vaccinated ahead of the flight.
“All but two workers are vaccinated and they are due to be vaccinated this afternoon,” said Mr Rockliff.
Vaccinations
As the state comes to the end of week three in the “super six week” vaccination blitz over 60% of eligible Tasmanians have received their first dose of the vaccine as vaccinations open up to 12 to 15-year-olds later this month.
Following a super clinic in Hobart and scheduled super clinics in Launceston and Burnie, youth super clinics will be set up across the state in October in an attempt to protect the younger generation.
From September 13 all GPs participating in the vaccination rollout will have access to Pfizer.
Tasmania will also maintain its strong border restrictions between NSW, Victoria and the ACT as more cases continue to be recorded.
Tasmania to host 150 international arrivals in quarantine
TASMANIA will host 150 Australians returning from the United Kingdom in hotel quarantine to help free up capacity interstate for Afghan refugees, state parliament has heard.
Acting Premier Jeremy Rockliff said a flight would arrive this Sunday.
“Today I can confirm that our dedicated international seasonal worker and quarantine hotel, the Ibis will be used to take on returning Australians from the United Kingdom, around 150 people,” he told parliament.
“This will free up hotel space in other jurisdictions for incoming Afghan people.
“That flight will arrive on Sunday the 5th of September.”
Mr Rockliff said public health authorities were preparing for the flight’s arrival.
“It is considered from a Covid perspective that those coming from the UK — due to high vaccination rates — should be of lower risk than those coming from Kabul,
“However it is not without risk and we will need to be prepared for a potential case of Covid from this flight.”
Mr Rockliff said passengers would be tested prior to arrival and several times subsequently.
And the government would also provide increased funding to migrant assistance organisations to help with increased support Tasmania’s Afghan community.
There were 161 people in hotel quarantine on Sunday, all of them in the state’s south, official figures show.
The state government backed out of a pledge to host its “fair share” of Australians returning from overseas in January after four positive COVID-19 tests among passengers on the first of three planned repatriation flights.
Instead, Tasmania made a deal with Victoria: that state would take returnees and Tasmania would host quarantine for 1500 low-risk Pacific Island seasonal workers bound for Victorian farms in the first half of 2021.
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said Tasmania should welcome its shareof refugees.
“We encourage the Gutwein Government to make it clear to the Federal Government that those fleeing Afghanistan are always warmly welcome, and we stand ready to accept refugees in the weeks and months ahead.
“Tasmania is a warm and welcoming place. The State Government should be encouraging resettlement on our island for as many Afghanis as possible.”
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