UNVACCINATED TO PATROL BEACHES

UNVACCINATED lifeguards and lifesavers will patrol the city’s beaches during the Christmas-New Year period unless the council and the Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) change their policies.

SLSQ told members last Friday those 16 years and older must be fully vaccinated by March 31 next year.

However, some members on Facebook are refusing to get vaccinations and threatening to walk off patrols.

In a message to clubbies,

SLSQ CEO Dave Whimpey said the organisation had a duty of care to keep all staff, volunteers and members of the public safe.

He said SLSQ was aligning with the government’s road map on Covid but acknowledged some staff and volunteers might disagree.

“Accordingly, we respect an individual’s decision, and should they choose not to be fully vaccinated, they will be placed on restricted duties and unable to participate,” he told members.

A member wrote in a post: “If they made this compulsory when Queensland hit 80 per cent they are going to be very short of people during summer months. Still, council lifeguards are going to get plenty of extra hours to take up the shortfall.” The Bulletin asked the council what direction had been outlined to its lifeguards.

The council was asked whether lifeguards would be required to get vaccinations and could this differ from other staff.

“At this stage the city has not mandated vaccinations for staff,” a spokesman said.

“We are awaiting further health direction from the Queensland government to understand any impacts on staff and services.”

It is understood the council will need a health directive from the government before requiring vaccinations of staff working on the beaches or library and entertainment areas.

Mayor Tom Tate told the Bulletin: “We are awaiting state advice re-our public facilities but my view is, once we hit 80 per cent double vaccination both statewide and within our city, I’d encourage the state to allow our facilities to open up without restriction.

“This virus is clearly one that will hit the unvaccinated hardest.

In real terms, it may be many months before we get to 90 per cent double vaccination.

“I sense that people want their lives to return to some form of normality and I believe that can, and should, occur at 80 per cent.’’