Covid 19 Vaccinations- Public Health Order/Directions
The NSW and Victorian Chief Health Officers have released Public Health Orders/Directions regarding vaccination status of staff/employees/members- see attached. I have not been able to locate any directives/orders for QLD at this stage (but I am going to presume there may be a similar type of order given.
As an organisation providing NDIS Services (specifically mentioned in the Public Health Orders/Directions) and other services we need to ensure our compliance with them. Of course if you are not able to receive a vaccination, you can request an exemption/contraindication certificate from your medical practitioner.
I understand this can cause some level of anxiety/worry (as individuals and as a whole/collective) but we need to ensure we are not breaching any of the orders and are compliant (as with other compliance requirements). I understand some members have some concerns/reservations and would like to invite people into a conversation regarding these concerns/reservations. Unfortunately (possibly like many organisations/agencies), we are in a difficult position where we have to meet compliance but there are concerns/reservations.
I will set a couple of dates/times and host an open discussion- please keep your eye out for an invite/notice.
In the mean time, please keep asking questions and seeking clarity.
Francisco de Paula Thu 28 Oct 2021 6:53AM
Because I have been having those conversations with the families. I always refer them to check with their GP.
Michaela Kennedy Thu 28 Oct 2021 6:53AM
I would like to think all Jeder members would give reliable information and supported their participants decisions. I do think it would be best to have consistent information that we can share.
Drew Rogers Thu 28 Oct 2021 6:53AM
I've had a lot of discussions where confusion reigns supreme on this topic.Would be great to have a summarised and compact version of information perhaps stemming directly from the public health order and government sites. Anything/anyone elaborating on the orders, legislation and enforcement is just interpretation right?
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Michaela Kennedy Mon 10 Jan 2022 6:39PM
Has anyone heard of anyone getting fines? Hopefully everyone is complying with the rules while working. Can’t control what people do in their personal life.
Deleted account Tue 2 Nov 2021 2:48AM
Well, hopefully we'll move in the direction Spain is: https://spanishnewstoday.com/spain-to-refund-fines-issued-during-covid-lockdown_1671899-a.html
Deleted account Thu 4 Nov 2021 3:18AM
I rang the NDIA and the Covid National Hotline for some advice about this issue. I said that I have participants who have trusted key support workers who aren't vaccinated. The participant wants to work with these workers with the full knowledge that they aren't vaxed and that the Public Health order mandates the vax. I asked:
1: Who would be responsible for fines, if they're imposed? The independent support worker or the participant?
2: Is there any talk of policing breaches of the public health order?
The NDIS operator got advice from their supervisor and told me that disability support workers can continue to work if unvaccinated as long as they abide by "state rules" (???? But doesn't this mean the public health order - state rules???)
The Covid Hotline operator told me that it would be the support worker as a sole trader that would be responsible for any fines if policed and imposed, not the participant. She also said that she hadn't heard of any talk in regard to policing this and implementing fines because it would be difficult and costly.
I also rang our local MP's office about this. They said they'd do some investigating and get back to me. So......MORE BIG SHRUGS AND HEAD SCRATCHING.
Drew Rogers Thu 4 Nov 2021 4:53AM
Well i guess there's some comfort in knowing we're all in the same boat. Even if we can't figure out if it's safe or sinking 😆
Michaela Kennedy Mon 10 Jan 2022 6:42PM
Thanks for doing this Alex, I hope this shows no-one really knows how it will be enforced or if it will.
Drew Rogers · Tue 2 Nov 2021 12:43AM
Did we get any legal advice as to how penalties will be enforced? It seems clear through the public health act that any unvaxxed person working in disability is now illegal but so was mask wearing and that seemed up to police discretion. I'd hate for a robodebt scenario to arise though where workers are fined retroactively through invoicing. Disobeying public health orders is a minimum $1000 fine and $5500 every day of non compliance thereafter. Worst case scenario would be devastating.