Queensland to drop COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health workers
Queensland will end the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health workers by the end of the month.
Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said acting Chief Health Officer Dr Catherine McDougall had advised that the mandate, which has been in place since 2021, was no longer necessary.
“The Queensland government took very strong action to keep people safe during the pandemic,” Fentiman said.
While vaccinations against diseases including measles, mumps, and rubella would remain mandatory for health workers, the health minister said the approach to COVID-19 would be similar to that for influenza.
“We don’t have vaccination requirements for the flu, but we do strongly advise it,” she said.
“We know that we are really coming back to normal after COVID.”
The change had been prompted by high levels of community vaccination and immunity.
Queensland Health director general Michael Walsh said the mandate would most likely be gone from September 25, following a mandatory consultation period.
And he said all those health workers who had been dismissed or who had resigned due to vaccine requirements were welcome to re-apply for roles in Queensland Health from that time.
Fentiman said about 1200 people had been dismissed from Queensland Health for non-compliance since the mandate came in.
Meanwhile, from today, the work exclusion period for health workers who test positive to COVID-19 will drop to five days from seven.
However, McDougall warned Queenslanders not to become complacent.
“This is a serious disease that particularly risks our elderly and our vulnerable,” she said.
She said of those hospitalised with COVID-19 recently, 70 per cent had not been up to date with their booster shots.
