COVID-19 Updates
Updated: 11 October 2021
New Emergency Management Act Direction mandates COVID vaccinations for health care settings
People working in health care settings will need to have at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose by November 1 in order to continue working.
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Moderna (Spikevax) Covid-19 vaccination
On 9 August 2021, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), gave provisional approval for the Moderna vaccine whose brand name is Spikevax to be used within Australia.
This is the fourth vaccine to be given approval and the second mRNA vaccine approved.
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COVID-19 vaccination requirements
From 04 August 2021, the new Supervised Quarantine Direction comes into effect. This Direction places COVID-19 vaccination requirements on health care workers (and other workers) in specified settings. These specified settings are called Red Zones.
SA Health describe a red zone as a clearly designated area for people who are under a quarantine provision.
The quarantine pathway remains one of our biggest areas of risk, and getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the best thing we can to do to protect ourselves, our loved ones and the South Australian community.
The risk of transmission is increasing with variants of concerns showing higher transmissibility and the introduction of vaccination in red zones will significantly reduce the risk of potential community transmission.
For further information about the Red Zones or areas of “high risk” as deemed by your site or LHN then please contact your Manager.
More information on the new Supervised Quarantine Direction is available at www.covid-19.sa.gov.au.
ANMF seeking clarification on members’ vaccinations
Following reports by members of feeling pressured by management to get their COVID-19 vaccinations and having the vaccine through fear of job insecurity if they refuse, the ANMF (SA Branch) has written to the Department for Health and Wellbeing seeking clarification on the requirements of the Immunisation for Health Care Workers and Quarantine Workers Policy (Feb 2021) (Immunisation Policy).
We have also raised the concerns of members who have elected to not have a COVID-19 vaccination. We note that the Immunisation Policy was amended in February 2021 to include procedures specific to the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out. We are unaware of any consultation with staff that took place in relation to these changes.
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