Effective today, COVID-19 vaccination is no longer mandatory for SA Health staff in patient-facing roles. This policy update, announced by SA Health, follows a robust review and consultation with health personnel, addressing the shifting dynamics of COVID-19 immunity within the community.
Since October 2021, Category A and B workers were required to receive at least two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine to maintain employment in patient-facing positions. This mandate was part of the policy titled: “Addressing vaccine preventable disease: Occupational assessment, screening, and vaccination.” Approximately 245 permanent employees, who chose not to get vaccinated, were terminated under this initiative from a workforce of about 45,000.
In South Australia, community immunity to COVID-19 is now nearly universal, a result of widespread vaccination, natural infections, or both. Research indicates that hybrid immunity, which combines the immunity gained from vaccination with the immunity from infection, offers superior protection against severe outcomes such as hospitalizations and long-term COVID complications.
Robyn Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Health and Wellbeing, highlights that the decision aligns with current scientific understanding and community health status. “We still strongly support the benefits of vaccination and still strongly recommend staff are vaccinated to protect themselves against COVID-19,” Lawrence stated. “It was the right policy decision to do everything we could to limit the impacts of COVID-19 by requiring staff to vaccinate. Now we have high community immunity to COVID-19 and we have consulted extensively with our health workforce. It’s the right time to update our policy to reflect the change in circumstances.”
In related news, the latest COVID-19 figures for South Australia have been released. The past week saw 284 new COVID-19 cases, a slight decrease from the 328 cases reported the previous week. The total number of cases now stands at 993,494, with the death toll remaining unchanged at 1,816.
COVID-19 testing remains a key component of the region’s management strategy. Over the last week, 5,031 individuals have undergone PCR testing, marking a 2% increase from the previous period. SA Health continues to advocate for regular testing and vaccination, particularly urging those who are most vulnerable to develop plans with their GPs for accessing PCR tests and antiviral treatments should they exhibit symptoms.
For testing, individuals with symptoms who are considered at low risk of severe illness are encouraged to use Rapid Antigen Tests. Confirmatory PCR testing is not required for those who test positive via this method. Information about testing locations and vaccination updates is available on the SA Health website.
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