June 27, 2022
Victoria's vaccine status
The Victorian government requires that all workers – in Melbourne and regional Victoria – on the Authorised Worker list be fully vaccinated. This list has been recently amended and vaccination requirements for many industries have been removed and subject to employer discretion. Employer's still have health and safety obligations to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the workplace so far as is reasonably practicable.
The VTHC urges workers and their families to book to get vaccinated as soon as possible, including third and fourth shots where eligible. There should not be any problem in securing appointments as there are supplies of all four approved vaccines, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax, available.
Those who are eligible for the third or fourth shots need to organise to receive these as immunity wanes and the risks of infection begin to increase again. We also urge parents to organise the immunisation of their children - appointments can now be made for children over the age of 5.
For those who still have questions: there is a terrific feature in the September 27 edition of the VTHC's Megaphone journal: Your Top Questions About Vaccines - Answered! It's informative, amusing and will help you in discussions with your family, friends and work colleagues.
As of June 27, 84.3 per cent of all Victorians had received their second dose, 87 per cent had received their first dose, and 53.71 per cent had their third dose. Australia wide, the figures are 83.78 per cent, 86.71 per cent respectively, and 53.9 per cent had received the third shot. (see: ABC's Vaccine tracker). These figures are for all Australians - not, as previously, for those over 18 years of age. To check the numbers of vaccines across the country (and by region), go to this page on the ABC's website.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has approved a winter dose of COVID-19 to increase vaccine protection before winter for people at greatest risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
Vaccination mandatory for certain designated workers.
The Victorian government requires certain workers to be fully vaccinated.
The Federal government has said that it will not be legislating to make vaccination mandatory for other workers. This is despite pressure from a number of employers in a number of sectors. However, the FWO, after a media conference given by the Prime Minister on August 6, has amended its advice and says that employers have the right to ask their employees whether they have been vaccinated. Read more: FWO federal guidance
As of 24 June 2022 a number of changes have been made to vaccination requirements. For a full list of industries that mandate being fully vaccinated, see here.
The following Victorian government webpages have been updated to include the Australian Government AstraZeneca patient resources:
- Getting vaccinated
- Administering vaccines and managing side effects
- from WorkSafe: COVID-19 vaccinations in workplaces
The latest published vaccine information can be found on the Victorian Government's COVID-19 vaccine website
The Department of Health has now made the Victorian COVID-19 vaccination guidelines (the guidelines), appendices and resources available online on this DHS webpage.
The guidelines provide advice and describe the minimum requirements for delivery of the COVID-19 vaccination program in Victoria, in accordance with the requirements set out by the Commonwealth Government. Compliance with the most current version of these guidelines is a condition of the Public Health Emergency Orders and Secretary Approvals that have been developed to authorise the workforces participating in Victoria’s COVID-19 vaccination program. Copies of these authorisations can also be accessed from the new webpage. Currently, the guidelines are being updated weekly. Please ensure you are using the most up to date version. Updates are highlighted in yellow in the document.
Are the Vaccines safe?
Currently the advice from the Australian government is that the three (soon to be four) vaccines have been checked and approved by the Therapeutic Drugs Administration (TGA) and are safe, effective and of high quality. The TGA ensures it checks all the latest international information and data on the vaccines. Again, we recommend you check out this VTHC article: Your Top Questions About Vaccines - Answered! It's informative, amusing and will help you in discussions with your family, friends and work colleagues.
Vaccine side effects
Like many other vaccinations, COVID-19 vaccines can have side effects. These symptoms are generally mild and on average resolve within a day or two. If you have any concerns about the vaccine, consult your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Common reactions to vaccination include:
- pain where you had the injection
- muscle aches
- headache
- fatigue
- fever.
What about the potentially serious side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine?
Two teams of European scientists, working independently, have identified the cause of a rare blood clotting condition that has occurred in some people after receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. This means any blood clots that occur could be easily treated.
In its latest report, the TGA had identified 125 cases of TTS, the rare blood-clotting disorder linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, from approximately 9.6 million vaccine doses administered in Australia.
COVID-19 Vaccines - Live Show
If you missed the OHS Unit's Live Show on February 23, 2021. You can still take a look at what was a very informative and even fun event (yes, fun!). The show featured two very special guests:
- Professor Ben Cowie: infectious diseases physician and epidemiologist, holding appointments with the Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, and the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. In addition, Ben is a medical epidemiologist with Communicable Disease Epidemiology and Surveillance, Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, and is a Professorial Fellow in the Department of Medicine at the University of Melbourne.
- Mr Leigh Hubbard: Director, Engagement (Industry Settings); COVID-19 Community Engagement & Testing Command, Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Leigh was also Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council from 1995 - 2005.
One of the questions asked was whether employers would have the right to make vaccinations mandatory. both the Commonwealth nor the State governments have made it clear that in most cases the vaccination is currently voluntary.
Go to the We Are Union - OHS Reps Facebook page, here to catch up or watch it again. There is also a Frequently Asked Questions document which accompanied the Live Show.
A reminder though: Australian Council of Trade Unions assistant secretary Liam O'Brien welcomed the start of the program, but reminded workplace stakeholders that it "will not happen overnight". He said, "It is essential that all workers – especially those in high-risk industries – continue to be kept safe in their workplaces by the social distancing and other procedures which have saved so many lives over the last year." Read more: ACTU media release
New COVID-19 vaccine information for workplaces:
Victorian information
There is a page on the DHHS site with a lot of information on the vaccines and Victoria's rollout program: COVID-19 vaccines. The page has information about the different vaccines, who will get vaccinated first, and a COVID-19 'Information hub' page. There are also links to Commonwealth information.
The government has also developed translated content about vaccine rollout. This includes information on:
- Health advice and restrictions;
- the COVID-19 vaccine;
- Business and work;
- Education;
- Travel and transport;
- Housing; and
- Safety
To check whether there is information in the language you're looking for, go to this page. (here is the information in English). Information in more languages will be uploaded as it becomes available, but there are already many there including, but not limited to:
- Arabic
- Bengali
- Bosnian
- Burmese
- Tagalog (Filipino)
- Greek
- Somali
- Spanish
- Tamil
- Turkish
- and many more (translated into 63 languages)
Safe Work Australia has published new information about work health and safety and COVID-19 vaccines.
SWA reminds employers that they have a duty under the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws to eliminate, or if that is not reasonably practicable, minimise the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. The new guidance provides information about rights and obligations under the model WHS laws and how they relate to COVID-19 vaccines.
Vaccine work health and safety information is available for employers, small business and workers in 37 different industries and is accessible via the dropdown menu tool on the SWA site.
Australian Government updates
The Australian government has produced more material and information:
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Latest news and updates from the Australian Government
- The Australian Government will invest more than $1.1 billion to extend the national COVID-19 health response and suppression strategy until 31 December 2021.
- The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly statement on the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
- There is new information about the AstraZeneca vaccine and after your AstraZeneca vaccine
- Accessible resources have been developed including Auslan videos and Easy Read resources.
- COVID-19 vaccines - Is it true? – a new webpage that provides accurate, evidence-based answers to questions about COVID-19 vaccines and addresses concerns and misinformation
- The use of GPs to administer the vaccines to people who are eligible has now begun. To check the list of clinics participating go to this page.
Advice to HSRs - Consultation
As noted above, all businesses which are operating in metropolitan Melbourne must have a COVIDSafe or a High Risk COVIDSafe Plan in place. Remember, your employer has a duty to consult with HSRs under s35 of the Act, including when developing and implementing the COVIDSafe plan. HSRs should also be consulted by the employer on the nomination of workers to be invited to register for a vaccine. Contact your union or the OHS Team at Trades Hall if you have any questions. WorkSafe has recently released a new video on Consultation - specifically in relation to making workplaces COVID-safe.