Education Vaccine Mandates Lifted

On the advice of the Acting Chief Health Officer, the vaccine mandate covering workers in education settings will be lifted on Friday 24 June. As a result, from next term schools will be permitted to employ non-vaccinated teachers and support staff on school grounds.

We continue to advise school leaders to act with caution in relation to COVID mitigation and management. Staff have the right to a workplace in which risks to health and safety are minimised, and the safety of students and families must also be prioritised. It is important that decisions which potentially alter transmission risk factors are carefully considered, and that where appropriate consultation with elected Health and Safety reps takes place.

Even more significant is the risk to unvaccinated workers in a high-contact workplace such as a school. The risk of serious, long-term illness or death as a result of contracting COVID is far higher for unvaccinated people - the last thing anyone wants to see is debilitating illness or death as a result of workplace transmission of COVID.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to the many education workers who protected themselves and their communities by getting vaccinated. These workers kept our schools running through the most difficult circumstances, and their collective efforts ensured that our students have continued to receive quality education and genuine support despite unprecedented staff shortages.