Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath has announced that the state will mandate COVID-19 vaccination for all health workers in any health care setting in the state.
It had previously been a mandatory requirement only for public health workers in public hospitals and other certain facilities, such as aged care.
“All private hospitals, community pharmacies, GPs, physiotherapists—all of these services, every health facility, or health worker who goes into other facilities, will need to be fully vaccinated by the 15th of December.”
This comes one day after the Queensland government announced that all visitors to hospitals, aged care facilities, or disability facilities would need to be fully vaccinated after Dec. 17, or they will be barred from entry.
The only exception to this new rule will be for end of life, palliative care, or birth visitors.
D'Ath also confirmed that anyone who seeks hospital care or health treatment will have full access to health services no matter if they’re vaccinated or not.
She said the new state-wide mandatory requirements for the health workforce was in line with “just about every other jurisdiction.”
“It is really important that no matter whether you turn up at a public hospital or a private hospital, your GP, your pharmacy, or other primary or allied health care, that you have the confidence that that workforce is fully vaccinated and there is less chance of them passing the virus onto you,” D'Ath said.
“It also means we’re going to have the workforce we need when the virus does spread throughout our communities because they’re not off sick with the virus.”
