The Victorian Department of Health recently reviewed the state’s COVID-19 vaccine Secretary Directions. This review considered:
- the evolving COVID-19 epidemiologic situation in Victoria
- emerging evidence on the burden of COVID-19 disease, and
- new advice and guidance from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on COVID-19 vaccination.
As part of the review the department invited stakeholder feedback, including from ANMF, which ‘showed broad sector support for removing’ the mandate. In early October therefore, the Directions requiring Victorian healthcare workers to be vaccinated or boosted against COVID-19 were revoked.
The previous mandate has now been replaced with a strong recommendation for healthcare workers to remain up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations as per ATAGI guidance and the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
Members – particularly those in high-risk clinical areas – should note however that individual healthcare services may choose to implement guidance and/or vaccination requirements through their own vaccination policies, through consultation, and based on their assessment of the risk posed within specific settings and service delivery.
Consistent with the Secretary of the Department of Health, individual healthcare services may also choose to recommend or require the use of other efficacious measures (such as masks) as a primary infection prevention control in certain settings, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 for staff and for patients, regardless of vaccination requirements.
The requirement for all Victorian healthcare workers to be vaccinated against influenza by 15 August each year remains in place.
What is the reasoning behind the department’s decision?
Introduced in Victoria on 13 October 2022, the Secretary Directions required specified healthcare workers in prescribed healthcare settings to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Directions – made under the Sections 42 and 105A of the Health Services Act 1988 (Vic) and section 10(4) of the Ambulance Services Act 1986 (Vic) – were enacted to protect the health and safety of healthcare workers and patients.
When the Directions were introduced, COVID-19 was considered a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation and presented a serious risk to public health in Victoria.
In conducting the review, the department recognised that most Victorians have since developed strong individual protection from severe COVID-19 illness and death, due to vaccination and/or previous COVID-19 infection.
It noted that while COVID-19 vaccination continues to reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalisation and death, ATAGI currently considers that it most benefits at-risk populations (65 years and older, and those who are severely immunocompromised) who likely only comprise a small proportion of healthcare workers in Victoria.
ATAGI has not expressed a view on COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare workers as a cohort. Therefore, requirements for COVID-19 vaccination of healthcare workers remains a jurisdictional consideration. The revocation of the Secretary Directions aligns Victoria with the healthcare worker COVID-19 vaccination policies in other Australian jurisdictions.
ANMF is supportive of health policy that is grounded in evidence-based guidance and reflective of ATAGI guidelines.
More information about vaccination requirements for Victorian healthcare workers is available on the department’s website.
