COVID-19 vaccine mandate scrapped for healthcare workers in NSW

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Healthcare workers in NSW will no longer have to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The state’s health department updated its rules on Thursday, following a consultation process with staff and unions back in March.

Vaccination against COVID-19 for all health workers is now “strongly recommended” rather than required.

NSW Health introduced mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare workers in August 2021.

Workers were required to have had at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, unless they had a medical exemption.

Nurses’ Professional Association of NSW (NPAN) secretary Anita Scutts said she was relieved the mandates had been lifted and was hopeful experienced healthcare professionals could now return to work to help with ongoing shortages.

“NPAN has been fighting the mandates since 2021 and currently has hundreds of accepted discrimination complaints in the Australian Human Rights Commission, some of which are against NSW Health,” she told 7NEWS.com.au.

“Owing to the government’s decision to rip thousands of experienced nurses out of hospitals, years of experience and knowledge have been lost to the detriment of patients.

“NPAN has been calling for experienced healthcare professionals to return and alleviate the healthcare crisis, regardless of vaccination status. NSW hospitals are in crisis, it’s time to let them return.”

In March, NSW Chief Health Officer Doctor Kerry Chant said COVID-19 remained a “serious public health issue”.

“COVID-19 vaccination continues to provide strong protection against severe illness, particularly for people at higher risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19, including older adults and those with underlying health conditions,” she said.

As of September 2023, COVID-19 vaccination mandates for healthcare workers in Queensland were scrapped.

Mandates for WA healthcare workers were also revoked in 2023, while the same was done in the NT in June 2022.

Some healthcare workers in prescribed settings in Victoria and South Australia are still required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

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