Booster jabs will be mandated for a number of Victoria's critical industries in an effort to keep the supply chain going and tackle significant growth in COVID-related hospitalisations.
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Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said today under new pandemic orders coming into place at midnight on Wednesday, workers in key sectors who were already required to be fully-vaccinated must get their third dose before being permitted to work onsite.
They include workers in:
- Healthcare
- Aged care
- Disability
- Emergency services
- Correctional facility
- Quarantine accommodation
- Food distribution
"All of these groups are already covered by existing mandates for their first two vaccinations and this is a sensible addition for the relatively high risk nature that these sectors operate in when it comes to vaccine protection and their critical contribution to keeping Victoria operating," Mr Foley said.
"If you are eligible now for your third dose meaning you got your second dose four months or more ago you have until February 12 to get that third dose.
"If you are not yet eligible you will have up to three months from when you are required to receive that second dose, plus two weeks.
"This means all residential aged care workers will have a deadline of March 1 - that's because their second dose deadline was November 15.
"All healthcare workers will have a deadline of March 29 because their second dose cut off was December 15."
Disability, quarantine accommodation, correctional facilities, emergency services, and food distribution workers will need to receive their third dose by March 12.
Meanwhile, further changes were also made to both dancefloors and hospital visitation protocol and will come into play from midnight Wednesday.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Under the changes, indoor dancefloors within hospitality and entertainment venues must close from 11:59pm 12 January. Venues can still operate and there are no changes to the density settings currently in place.
Visitors in aged care homes will need to return a negative RAT and will still be limited to five guests.
Guests at hospitals must be double vaccinated or provide proof of a negative RAT and wear a mask, N95-grade or above.
The announcement comes as health authorities revealed a significant increase in the number of COVID-positive Victorians hospitalised.
A total of 818 Victorians are in hospital, a jump of 61 since yesterday. There are 118 people in ICU and 28 on a ventilator.
Sadly, two Victorians died with COVID-19 yesterday.
Elsewhere, in the south-west there were 148 new COVID cases reported in Warrnambool today, 61 in Glenelg, 43 in Moyne, 41 in the Southern Grampians and 35 in Corangamite.
There are now 1173 active cases in the five municipalities.
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Jessica Greenan
Journalist at The Warrnambool Standard covering both Moyne Shire and Corangamite Shire Council. Sometimes court. Special interest in all things environment.
Journalist at The Warrnambool Standard covering both Moyne Shire and Corangamite Shire Council. Sometimes court. Special interest in all things environment.
