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COVID 19 Mandatory Vaccination and Vaccination Program Policy

Applicable to: This Policy is applicable to WA health system entities, as defined in this policy.

The Department of Health is undertaking a review of all aspects of the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination and Vaccination Program Policy (Policy).

Given the revocation of the Booster Vaccination (Restrictions on Access) Directions No. 3, Health Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions No. 5 and Residential Aged Care Facility Worker Access Directions No. 6, all provisions of the Policy relating to mandatory COVID-19 vaccination will be repealed. These provisions of the Policy should not be enforced on and from 12:01am Friday 4 November 2022.

Description: The purpose of the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination and Vaccination Program Policy (Policy) is to protect Employees, and the people in their care across WA health system entities, from acquiring and transmitting COVID-19, a human coronavirus of pandemic potential and an urgently notifiable infectious disease.

This Policy mandates the requirement for all Employees of WA health system entities and those engaged under a contract for service arrangement to be vaccinated against COVID19 in order to access and remain in a Health care facility and/or Residential aged care facility, in line with the Health Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions (No 3) (Health Worker Directions) and/or the Residential Aged Care Facility Worker Access Directions (No 4) (Aged Care Worker Directions), or their replacements.

This Policy further mandates the requirement for all Employees of WA health system entities and those engaged under a contract for service arrangement to be administered a Booster vaccination in order to access and remain at a Health care facility and/or Residential aged care facility, in line with the Booster Vaccination (Restrictions on Access) Directions (No 2) (Booster Directions), or its replacement.

In accordance with Occupational safety and health legislation, WA health system entities have a duty, so far as practicable, to provide and maintain a working environment in which the Employees are not exposed to hazards. Ensuring Employees who enter a Health care facility and/or Residential aged care facility are vaccinated against COVID-19 is an important step in protecting Employees, patients and visitors from acquiring and transmitting COVID-19, which is a highly transmissible respiratory infection which can cause mild to severe illness or death, especially in people at high risk.

In addition, the Department of Health is leading planning and implementation of the WA COVID-19 Vaccination Program.

This Policy is a mandatory requirement under the Public Health Policy Framework pursuant to section 26(2)(c) and (l) of the Health Services Act 2016 (WA).

This Policy is a mandatory requirement for the Department of Health pursuant to section 29 of the Public Sector Management Act 1994 (WA).

Date of effect: 13 January 2022

Policy Framework

Supporting information

wa.gov.au