27 August 2021

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Updated mandatory vaccination information, new requirements for authorised workers in areas of concern, and Queensland border restrictions

NSW Health has established priority vaccination appointments to support eligible disability workers to meet the new mandatory vaccination requirements. New requirements apply to authorised workers leaving or entering an area of concern for work. The Queensland Government has also imposed border restrictions with New South Wales.

Key points

• NSW Health has established priority Pfizer vaccination appointments at the Sydney Olympic Park Qudos Bank Arena Vaccination Centre, to support eligible disability workers to meet the mandatory vaccination requirements. 
• The NSW Government has introduced new requirements - relating to vaccinations, rapid antigen testing and worker permits, which apply to authorised workers that leave or enter a local government area of concern for work.
• Entry to Queensland from New South Wales is temporarily restricted. New South Wales residents who live anywhere in the border zone can only enter Queensland for essential purposes and are subject to entry requirements.

Priority COVID-19 vaccination for disability workers

As advised in our provider alert of 26 August 2021, the New South Wales Government has mandated that from 30 August 2021, disability workers who live or work in an area of concern must be excluded from entry into their place of work unless they have:

• evidence of one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, or
• a medical certificate showing medical contraindication.

NSW Health has established priority Pfizer vaccination appointments at the Sydney Olympic Park Qudos Bank Arena Vaccination Centre, to support eligible workers to meet the new requirements. 

Information on how to book is available on the NSW Government website.

New requirements regarding registering your travel in NSW, including when leaving or entering an area of concern for work

The NSW Government has introduced new requirements that apply to authorised workers living or working in an area of concern:

• Authorised workers who live in an LGA of concern and need leave the area for work are only permitted to work if rapid antigen testing is implemented at their worksite or they have had their first vaccination dose by Monday 30 August 2021.
• From Saturday 28 August 2021, authorised workers from the LGAs of concern who work outside their LGA are required to carry a permit from Service NSW declaring that they are an authorised worker and cannot work from home
• From Saturday 28 August 2021, anyone entering an LGA of concern for the purposes of work must carry a worker permit issued by Service NSW.

Workers from a non-area of concern who need to travel more than 50km outside of Greater Sydney for work, and cannot work from home will also be required to register their travel with Service NSW.

We encourage you to read the full details on the NSW Government website.  

Disability support workers are classified as authorised workers. Permit applications can be lodged on the Service NSW website.

Please ensure that you, your workers and the people with disability that you support understand what these changes are, and how they affect the supports and services you deliver. 

Queensland border restrictions with New South Wales

The Queensland Government has imposed border restrictions with New South Wales. Border Restrictions Direction (No. 39) applies to any person entering Queensland. New South Wales residents who reside in the border zone can enter Queensland for essential reasons only.

For the purposes of disability, an essential worker that is permitted to cross into Queensland includes:

• anyone working in disability accommodation services or providing NDIS supports in a person’s home, and
• who has not been in a NSW COVID-19 hotspot, and
• resides in the border zone.

Essential workers will be subject to requirements in order to enter Queensland, including having at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination and a Border Zone Travel (X Pass) Queensland Entry Pass.

Workers must only remain in Queensland for the purposes of essential work.

We encourage you to read the full details on the Queensland Government website.  

NDIS Commission COVID-19 pandemic information and resources

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) information webpage on the NDIS Commission website contains links to updates, training, alerts and other resources.

We also have a COVID-19 webpage containing information for people with disability, and a webpage of frequently asked questions about COVID-19 for all stakeholders.

NDIS Commission COVID-19 vaccination information and resources

The COVID-19 vaccine information webpage on our website contains links to updates about COVID-19 vaccines and resources for NDIS providers.

We also have a COVID-19 vaccine webpage containing information for people with disability.

Contact us

Call: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines). Our contact centre is open 9.00am to 5.00pm (9.00am to 4.30pm in the NT), Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Email: contactcentre@ndiscommission.gov.au

Website: www.ndiscommission.gov.au