Given the current rate of COVID-19 hospitalisations and cases, a number of important but proportionate changes will be introduced to further protect staff in health care and hospitality settings – and key high risk workforces – from the risk of outbreaks and super-spreader events.
Under new pandemic order coming into place at 11:59pm Wednesday 12 January, workers in key sectors who are already required to be fully vaccinated must get their third dose before being permitted to work onsite.
This will apply to healthcare, aged care, disability, emergency services, correctional facility, quarantine accommodation and food distribution workers. Workplaces must sight and record proof of vaccination.
This means that healthcare workers who:
- were eligible for to receive the COVID Vaccination booster on 12 January 2022 must have received their third dose by 12 February 2022, and
- become eligible for to receive the COVID Vaccination booster after 12 January 2022 must have received their third dose by 29 March 2022.
Victorians in these priority cohorts were among the first required to have their first and second dose vaccination during 2021. The mandatory vaccination requirement will not apply to workers who have a valid medical exemption.
This direction responds to the increased risks of COVID-19 exposure to critical workers, their proximity to vulnerable people, the higher risk of the virus spreading in their workplace and the need to protect access to essential goods and services.