Dear
Re: COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccinations Directions – Residential aged care and healthcare workers - Victoria
I am writing to inform you about important changes to the COVID-19 mandatory vaccination directions that have been announced by the Victorian Government and will affect you if you work in residential aged facilities or healthcare facilities in Victoria.
Mandatory vaccination has been introduced for workers at these facilities, including the dates by which workers are required to have had received their first and second vaccine doses. Please refer below.
Workers who are unable to have a COVID-19 vaccine can request a COVID-19 vaccination exemption for medical reasons.
Residential aged care facilities
As previously advised, residential aged care workers must take steps to ensure the following COVID-19 vaccination requirements are met:
- at least the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine received by 1 October 2021
- second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine received by 15 November 2021
“Residential aged care workers” include allied health professionals:
- employed or engaged as a contractor by the residential aged care facility
- who attend the residential aged care facility to provide care to facility residents
- who are employed or engaged by a resident of the facility to provide care to that resident
Healthcare facilities
Earlier today, the Victorian Government announced additional changes in relation to the mandatory vaccination of ‘healthcare workers’ at ‘health care facilities’.
A ‘healthcare facility’ includes:
- hospitals, including outpatient settings and in reach services;•
- community health centres and services including mental health, child, and maternity
- general practices
- COVID-19 related healthcare sites, including testing sites, vaccination centres and hotel quarantine premises
- health clinics, including medical specialist and allied health professional operated clinics
- mobile health services
- educational settings where healthcare students undertake placement, registration or internships
A ‘healthcare worker’ means a person who is employed or engaged as a contractor by a healthcare operator to perform at a healthcare facility any of the following, which include:
- healthcare services including allied health professionals (including those that work within a discipline classified by the Victorian Department of Health as allied health). This includes
- audiologists
- students
- volunteers
- administrative or ancillary roles.
On this basis, audiologists who work in Victorian public or private practice are ‘healthcare workers’ working in a ‘healthcare facility’ and – unless a medical exemption applies - must take steps to ensure that they meet the COVID-19 vaccination requirements of the direction.
Therefore, from 15 October 2021, all audiologists working in public, private, and not-for profit healthcare settings in Victoria must be able to provide evidence showing they have:
- received at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by 15 October 2021, or
- an appointment to receive at least their first dose by 29 October 2021, or
- a medical exemption evidenced by an authorised medical practitioner.
From 30 October 2021, audiologists must be able to provide evidence showing they have:
- a full COVID-19 vaccination of two doses, or
- one COVID-19 vaccination dose and a booking for a second by 15 December 2021, or
- a medical exemption evidenced by an authorised medical practitioner
More information about these requirements is available here: Information for workers required to be vaccinated | Coronavirus Victoria
Where an audiologist is self-employed, the person is considered to be their own employer and a healthcare operator for the purpose of complying with the directions.
Please stay safe, and if there is anything we can do to assist you during this time, please don't hesitate to contact the office on 03 9940 3900 or email: info@audiology.asn.au
Yours sincerely
Dr Tony Coles
CEO
Audiology Australia
Suite 101, 13 Cremorne Street Cremorne, VIC 3121
ABN: 31 168 531 324 | p: 03 9940 3900 | e: info@audiology.asn.au | w: www.audiology.asn.au