Aged-care workers miss vax deadline

CLOSE to 500 Tasmanian aged-care workers remain unvaccinated, as a sector-wide jab mandate comes into effect across the country today.

There are about 7780 residential aged-care workers in the state and 93.9 per cent of those (equating to 7310 staff) have received their first Covid-19 vaccine dose. 6060 workers (77.8 per cent) are fully vaccinated.

In late June, national cabinet agreed to make vaccination mandatory for residential aged-care workers, saying staff would need to have received at least one vaccine dose by September 17.

With vaccination now a condition of working in the sector, there are fears the mandate could affect the quality of care provided to residents, as some staff continue to refuse the jab.

As at Thursday afternoon, 95.8 per cent of residential aged care workers across Australia had received a first dose of a Covid vaccine, while 76.9 per cent were fully vaccinated.

Health and Community Sector Union state secretary Tim Jacobson said there was a “very small but vocal minority of workers” in Tasmania who were opposed to getting vaccinated.

“Any loss of staff is of concern,” he said. “It’s not unusual, on a daily basis, for a roster in an aged-care facility anywhere across the state to be down on staff already, let alone excluding people now because of the mandatory vaccine issue.”

“Obviously that has a massive impact on the rest of the workforce but, more than ever, it impacts on the care provided to residents in those facilities, as well.”

Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck said the workforce had “stepped up to the plate” and was “showcasing extraordinary commitment and leadership as vaccine rollout continues”.

“The public health orders are clear – as they were for flu vaccinations last year – and we are confident facility administrators will manage staff as they have done previously,” Senator Colbeck said.

The Minister said workforce support was available for aged care facilities that required it in the wake of the mandate.

Tasmanian Labor Senator Helen Polley said aged care was already understaffed and “frankly will not be able to cope without the … workers who will not be able to go to work because they haven’t received their first vaccine”. the