On the 18th Of March Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that it would be mandatory for staff and visitors of aged care facilities to receive a flu vaccine by the 1st of May 2020.

Subsequent to this announcement that AVN emailed the Prime Minister and Health Minister Greg Hunt a list of questions about this announcement.

These are the questions that we asked:

• What is the definition of an aged care facility?
• Are all workers required to receive the vaccine regardless of their position and interaction with residents?
• Do contractors to the aged care facilities also have to be vaccinated?
• What database will be used to show proof of vaccination?
• How can visitors to aged care facilities show proof of vaccination?
• Are there any exemptions available, for example, medical exemptions for those that cannot receive a flu vaccination?
• Who will be liable for compensation should someone suffer a debilitating adverse reaction to the vaccination?
• Will workers who refuse the vaccination have the option of being redeployed elsewhere in the facility or will they lose their job?
• Will any compensation be made available to those who lose their job because of this new condition of employment?

On Monday 30th March we received this reply from the office of Aged Care Minister Colbeck.

Read the original PDF here: Letter from Department Of Health

Or see screen shots below:

We will be following up with the Aged Care Minister for further clarification on some of the matters raised.

The AVN is currently being inundated with messages from Aged Care Workers who do not want to receive the flu vaccination, but do not want to lose their job.

We advise that those people should seek their own legal advice. The AVN is currently seeking legal advice but sadly the news on that front is not looking positive.

The AVN is currently putting together some template letters that can be sent to employers.

We will update everyone as we learn more.

If you are in Victoria, please email [email protected] to connect with other health professionals in that state. There is power in numbers.

~ by Aneeta Hafemeister, AVN President