Peter Gutwein,Premier
Jeremy Rockliff,Minister for Health
The Tasmanian Government's number one priority through the COVID-19 pandemic is the health and safety of Tasmanians, particularly those at higher risk of serious illness or death, as we continue to roll out our vaccination program to keep Tasmanians safe.
That's why a Public Health Direction has now been signed to facilitate mandatory vaccinations for aged care workers, effective from 17 September 2021.
As has been consistently seen interstate and across the world, aged care homes are especially vulnerable to the serious impacts of COVID-19, and it is imperative that we do all we can to ensure as many people, both staff and patients, are vaccinated as quickly as possible.
The direction provides that, on and after 17 September 2021, the following persons are not permitted to enter, or remain on, the premises of a residential aged care facility unless the person is sufficiently vaccinated against the disease:
- persons employed, or engaged, by or on behalf of the residential aged care facility, regardless of whether consideration is paid or payable for the employment or engagement;
- persons undertaking a clinical placement, or work experience, at the residential aged care facility; and
- persons employed, or engaged, by or on behalf of the residential aged care facility, to provide services, other than maintenance services (ie trades persons and gardeners who provide services on an ad hoc basis), in respect of the residential aged care facility or one or more residents of the residential aged care facility, regardless of whether consideration is paid or payable for the employment or engagement.
This means that from 17 September, aged care workers must have received at least one dose of vaccine and made a booking for their second, or have made a booking to receive their first dose and provide evidence of the booking to the operator of the aged care facility where they are employed.
Exemptions will apply for anyone unable to be vaccinated against COVID-19 due to medical conditions, or for those who are ineligible to be vaccinated due to age. The obligation is on the owner or operator of the facility to keep records of all workers sufficiently vaccinated and those who are exempt from the requirement to be sufficiently vaccinated.
