Townsville GP Dr Michael Clements labels scrapping of vax mandate as political move

A Townsville doctor has branded a government move to drop vaccine mandates for private hospital workers as a ‘clearly political’ move that will put vulnerable community members at risk.

A Townsville doctor has branded a government move to drop vaccine mandates for private hospital workers as a “clearly political” move that will put vulnerable community members at risk.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath on Thursday announced that as of Friday September 2, vaccine mandates for healthcare workers employed in private hospitals, primary care and private allied health would be scrapped.

Townsville general practitioner and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Rural Chair, Michael Clements, questioned the move.

He said despite a precedent for mandatory vaccination in certain roles, politicians were looking to return to “pre pandemic” levels of freedom.

“It is a clearly political decision made to appease people who are concerned about those restrictions, and potentially done to free up the workforce at some of those sites,” Dr Clements said.

Dr Michael Clements.

The latest changes come after an earlier announcement that the seven-day Covid isolation period would be shelved from September 9.

From that date, Covid-positive people will only have to isolate for five days.

He said while the changes were “always going to happen” the move would bring its own set of risks for those who contracted the virus.

“They say the small risk of having unvaccinated staff after five days is a risk they are willing to pay for getting hospitals running again, and give people their freedom,” he said.

“ … There are still health risks doing this … and this is a political decision to balance the risk of employment and getting the country back online.”

One risk, he said, included a disregard for current Covid-19 health advice including testing.

“This sort of behaviour change also risks people caring about Covid even less, and they may not even test now …,” he said.

Queensland’s third Omicron variant wave was believed to have peaked on July 26, but the next wave may come as soon as December.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath at a press conference. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Dr Clements said while the Omicron variant’s infection was mild in most people, an uptick in cases could be expected.

“This hasn’t gone, it hasn’t disappeared, but politicians have decided now is the time to get everyone back to work, and this will absolutely cause an increased spread of infection,” he said.

The requirements will not change for Queensland Health workers, aged care or disability workers, with staff required to keep up to date with Covid-19 vaccinations.

In a statement, Ms D’Ath said in the aftermath of the state’s latest wave, the responsibility for managing the vaccination requirements of workers would be shifted to employers.

“Whether vaccination is required for these individuals is now a matter for individual employers as part of normal workplace health and safety obligations,” Ms D’Ath said.

Queensland is currently sitting at a double-vaccinated rate of 93 per cent.

Originally published as Townsville GP Dr Michael Clements labels scrapping of vax mandate as political move