Authorised workers in Victoria must have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by next Friday October 15, and two doses by November 26, in order to continue working on site. All manufacturing workers are considered authorised.
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“With supply of the vaccine finally becoming widely available, we are able to protect all workers who aren’t able to do their essential work from home and protect the roadmap to reopening,” said Victorian Premier Dan Andrews.
“As we move through Victoria’s Plan to Deliver the National Roadmap, we will see more pressure on our health system than we ever have. It is still crucial we continue to protect our health system from being overwhelmed. Our nurses, doctors, ambos and all of our health workers are working their guts out to be there for us and they need us all to do our bit.
“On the advice of our public health team, all workers – in Melbourne and regional Victoria – on the Authorised Worker list will require their first COVID-19 vaccine dose by Friday, 15 October in order to continue working onsite. They will need to be fully vaccinated by 26 November.”
Andrews said the decision to mandate vaccination was “critically important” to safeguard Victoria's health system and ensure the state's roadmap was followed.
"[These measures] are not about stopping people going to work,” he said. “They are about making sure we can open up. They are about making sure people can go to work, that they can be safe, and that we can defend and deliver our roadmap for opening.”
The 15 October deadline will not apply to workers who already have existing requirements under CHO directions – groups like construction, freight, healthcare, aged care and education will still have to comply with previous advice.
Over the next week, there are 13,000 first dose Pfizer appointments available in Victoria and 8,000 first dose Astra Zeneca appointments available through the state-run system. Victorians can also book a vaccine appointment through their GP or pharmacist.
Victorian pharmacists are now also offering the Moderna vaccine at select state sites for anyone aged 12 to 59. GPs and pharmacies are now providing both Pfizer and Moderna to all ages, including those above aged 59.
To book a vaccination through state-run centres – or to see links for how to book at your local GP or pharmacy – visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccine
Wide Format Online has released a series of poster PDF files that can be printed from A3 to A1 for businesses that are re-opening. This file (right) and others are available to subscribers as a free PDF or EPS by emailing Andy.
