While nobody’s suggesting the mandate is unlawful, Queensland style, the review’s timing could be significant.
NSW Health is consulting with staff, health unions and local health districts about proposed changes to mandatory covid vaccination requirements for healthcare workers.
The process comes in the wake of a recent Queensland Supreme Court ruling that the Queensland Police Service’s mandatory covid vaccination order in December 2021 was unlawful under the Human Rights Act.
In August 2021, during the pandemic, NSW Health introduced mandatory covid vaccination for all healthcare workers to “protect staff and their families, patients, visitors, and the broader community”.
Under the current work health and safety framework for infectious disease screening and vaccination, NSW Health workers are required to have had at least two doses of a covid vaccine unless they have a medical contraindication.
“However, as with all public health policy, NSW Health conducts regular reviews to ensure policy reflects the latest expert advice,” said the department’s announcement today.
“Covid vaccination continues to provide strong protection against severe illness, particularly for people at higher risk of serious illness and death from covid, including older adults and those with underlying health conditions,” NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said.
“While the latest evidence shows most people have now developed protection from serious disease due to vaccination and/or previous infection, covid remains a serious public health issue.”
Dr Chant said if consultation led to any change to the current covid vaccination mandate, NSW Health would continue to strongly recommend all its workers stay up to date with their vaccinations, in line with advice for the broader community.
The latest advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), recommends:
- a covid vaccination every six months for all adults aged 75 years and over;
- a covid vaccination every 12 months for adults aged 65 – 74 years, and adults aged 18 – 64 with severe immunocompromise; these people can consider a vaccination every six months;
- a covid vaccination every 12 months can be considered for all other adults aged 18 – 64 years, and those aged 5-18 years with severe immunocompromise.
