Western Australian Government announces that all healthcare workers are required to be vaccinated with COVID

All Western Australian healthcare professionals must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of the year under new mandatory rules designed to protect them and the wider community. Hmm.

Western Australia’s move to significantly tighten border restrictions with Victoria has introduced stricter new rules for healthcare workers, requiring all arrivals from that state to be vaccinated at least once. I have.

Anyone arriving in Victoria will also need to prove that the COVID-19 test is negative 72 hours before arriving in Western Australia, based on the rules that come into force on Monday.

Regarding the new vaccine rules for people working in the health system, Health Minister Roger Cook said it would benefit both workers and the wider community.

This rule applies to both health care workers and support workers in both public and private hospitals.

“Medical facility workers are very likely to come into contact with people who have COVID-19,” Cook said.

“That’s why it’s important to ensure that all of our healthcare professionals are vaccinated against COVID-19.

“We know that when Delta inevitably comes to Western Australia, our system will be challenged in the future … we have our precious workforce fully vaccinated. You need to make sure that. “

Gradual development of new rules

The mandatory vaccination requirements for WA healthcare professionals will begin gradually on October 1.

In Stage 1, staff working in Tier 1 areas such as intensive care units, highly dependent wards, respiratory wards, COVID-19 clinics, and vaccination centers will have one jab by October 1st and the following month. Must be completely vaccinated.

The rules will then be extended from November 1st to require a single dose so that all other health care workers can work in public and private hospitals.

In the third phase, medical and support workers must be vaccinated at least once by December 1st and fully vaccinated by the New Year to access the sites of support services and healthcare providers. I have.

It will culminate in all health care workers who need to receive both vaccines by January 1.

“If individuals don’t want vaccination, they’ll have to look for other jobs,” said Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson.

There is no exact figure as to how many WA health care workers have already been vaccinated, as many are not known to have been jabed in a general practitioner’s clinic.

However, state medical clinic and hospital vaccination center figures show that 45,081 health care workers (76.4%) received the first dose and 68% (40,101) received the second dose. is showing.

Dr. Robertson said compulsory vaccination would also help maintain essential medical services in the event of an outbreak.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen what happens when we need to send staff to quarantine or furl them, which obviously affects the operation of these hospitals,” he said. Said.

“And that’s what we’re trying to avoid as much as we can.”

Chorus of support for new rules

The Australian Medical Association said it supported the move to demand vaccines from everyone working in the health care system.

“Not just front-line healthcare professionals, but everyone who works in the medical field, everyone who works in hospitals, general practitioners, pharmacies, or anyone who works in ambulance collection services,” said Omar Khorshid, National President of AMA today. Said.

God Healthcare’s St. John also said he strongly supported the announcement.

“Communities naturally expect hospitals and other locations that provide medical services to be a safe environment for treatment, care and support,” said CEO Shane Kelly. Said.

“As healthcare professionals, we are all about making hospitals and other services as safe as possible, including vaccinations, strict infection control processes and proper wearing of PPEs, and maintaining confidence in the health of the community. We have a social responsibility to comply with the measures. Care system.

“Vaccination provides the best protection and is essential to caring for each other with our patients.”

Warning to elderly caregivers

Mark Olson, Secretary of State of the Australian Nursing Federation, said measures were needed to combat delta variants of the virus.

But he said he was still worried about the elderly care sector.

“When I last looked at the numbers, about 25-30% of Western Australian elderly care workers have not yet been vaccinated, so these challenges need to be addressed.

“It may be necessary to start investigating whether there is a deadline for this” drop dead “or how that deadline works in elderly care.

“If 10% of our employees leave this sector, it would be catastrophic.

“It only clogs our hospital because it makes up 10 percent of the inhabitants who can’t take care of it.”

Jab required for entry

The new Victorian border rules were announced just hours after the state recorded the maximum number of daily COVID-19 cases in more than 12 months.

Victoria has reported 176 new cases in the last 24 hours, Promotes WA’s decision to reclassify as “high risk” under the standards of border rules.

This means that anyone entering Western Australia from Victoria, or who has traveled to Western Australia in the last 14 days, has evidence that the COVID-19 PCR test was negative 72 hours before departure and the vaccine. At least one dose of.

You will also need to use the G2G app upon arrival at WA and have a COVID-19 test on the 2nd and 12th days of the 14-day quarantine.

This is the second highest risk category used by WA, and New South Wales is currently classified as extreme risk. This limits you from entering a narrow list of people who perform “federal, state, or professional duties.”

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