13 Oct 2021
The ACT Chief Health Officer will issue a public health direction requiring full vaccination against COVID-19 for staff working across early childhood education and care services, primary schools, out of school hours care, and specialist and flexible education settings for the remainder of 2021. This also includes staff in preschool to year 10/12 schools where they share a campus with those younger year groups. High school and colleges that don’t share a campus with primary school students are not covered by the mandate.
The new public health direction will be introduced as soon as possible following a brief consultation period. The purpose of the consultation is to seek views on how best to implement the public health direction in these settings.
The ACT’s recent outbreak has seen several transmission events in ACT schools and early childhood education settings. Health advice indicates that children are less likely to become seriously ill with COVID-19. However, there is still a risk of transmission and illness because there is not currently an approved vaccine for children under 12 years of age.
The vaccination mandate will apply to all workers in these schools and childcare settings, including out of school hours care, who work directly with children, or are in regular contact with children. Permanent, temporary, casually employed, contracted or voluntary workers will all be included, as well as people working in school canteens and uniform shops.
These workers will be required to provide proof of vaccination to their employer and have their first vaccination by 1 November 2021, and a second dose by 29 November 2021.
The public health direction won’t apply to people who might be on school sites but have no interaction with children, for example delivery drivers, tradespeople, or construction and maintenance workers.
The ACT Chief Health Officer will consider exemptions for staff with medical grounds that would prevent them from being vaccinated. All other staff will be required to be vaccinated.
The Education Directorate will continue to work closely with schools, unions and the early childhood sector over the next few days to operationalise the Chief Health Officer's advice, ahead of her signing the public health direction.