There has been a lot of focus in other countries about vaccinating the population against COVID-19, and Australia is no different.
Recently, the Queensland Government issued the Workers in a Healthcare Setting (COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements) Direction, which requires employees and volunteers providing services to people with disability to have had all their required doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by 15 December 2021. Although Queensland is the last to mandate the vaccine for the disability workforce, this new health direction brings Queensland into line with all the other states and territories in Australia.
A map of Australia with the dates required for Disability workforce vaccination in each state.
While it may be mandatory for disability support workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Australia, a person with disability can choose if they want to receive the vaccine. However, for some people, the choice is made for them because they can’t receive any of the approved COVID-19 vaccines for medical reasons. This is called a medical contraindication and is recorded on the person’s immunisation history statement and COVID-19 digital certificate.
What’s the rule?
Use the COVID-19 Restriction Checker to find out what you can and can’t do in your state or territory.
And now booster doses, which is different to a third dose, are now available to everyone 18 years and over who have had both doses of their primary course of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months ago. As for the third dose and how it differs, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommends only people who are severely immunocompromised should receive a third dose.
In mid-November, 85.4% of NDIS screened workers and 85.7% of NDIS participants living in shared accommodation had received at least one dose.
Visit health.gov.au more information about the COVID-19 vaccine
