Vaccine mandates to stay in Victoria
Victoria’s pandemic declaration is due to expire on Wednesday, [October 14, 2022], rendering the few remaining COVID-19 orders and vaccine mandates unenforceable under the legal framework.
However, Victorian government departments and private industries will still retain powers to require staff to have the vaccine to work under occupational health and safety laws.
Health workers treating Victoria’s sickest and most vulnerable people will still need their COVID-19 jabs when the state’s pandemic declaration ends.
Victoria’s pandemic declaration is due to expire on Wednesday, rendering the few remaining COVID-19 orders and vaccine mandates unenforceable under the legal framework.
However, Victorian government departments and private industries will still retain powers to require staff to have the vaccine to work under occupational health and safety laws.
Premier Daniel Andrews was tight-lipped on whether the pandemic declaration – created last year to replace expiring state of emergency powers – would be extended but firm on vaccine mandates staying for sensitive health settings.
“Mandates remain important for our health workers, for our disability workers, for our aged care workers; the last thing we want is our health workers contributing to making people sick,” he told reporters in Geelong on Friday.
“They’re going to continue to be vaccinated and they want to be vaccinated.”
Victoria and other states unanimously agreed to ditch mandatory COVID-19 isolation from October 14 at national cabinet last week, and Mr Andrews said the nation was moving into a new phase of pandemic management.
“It’s about trying to end that COVID exceptionalism. We’ll have more to say about the pandemic declaration quite soon,” he said.
Meanwhile, Melbourne is in line for an mRNA research and development centre after Victoria struck an agreement with a German biotech company.
BioNTech has agreed in principle with the state government to develop a clinical-scale mRNA manufacturing facility in Melbourne.
The arrangement would see BioNTech deliver mRNA therapeutics and vaccines for research and clinical trials, including infectious diseases, cancer medicines and personalised cancer treatments.
The new facility will support researchers to translate their work into medical breakthroughs and establish a clinical-scale mRNA manufacturing facility.
Treasurer Tim Pallas said the Victorian government had invested more than a billion dollars in medical research since 2014.
“This is a major coup for Victoria,” he said.