Vaccine mandates for NSW health workers to be dropped

Health workers in New South Wales will no longer need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 under a plan to phase out vaccination mandates.

Healthcare workers in New South Wales will no longer need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as the state government moves to remove mandates for the sector.

Health Minister Ryan Park confirmed the change would be made after consulting with state health staff.

“We know COVID is still out there, but we have to get back to life,” he told Sydney radio 2GB.

‘That means taking a look at the measures we have put in place during this period and see if they still apply.

“We think this is an issue where we can engage with the workforce and take a look to see if it’s still applicable now.”

Public health orders requiring vaccinations for healthcare professionals were enacted during the pandemic, and workers who refused quit or were fired.

While the order expired in November 2022, some workplaces may still require mandatory vaccination under their own labor, health and safety obligations.

Park said that if a decision was made to remove the mandates, workers who lost their jobs would be able to reapply for available positions through regular hiring processes.

He said COVID remained a public health threat and encouraged people to stay up to date with their vaccines.

“But we also have to make sure we continue to operate the health system after COVID and we cannot continue the same way we did in the middle of the pandemic,” he said.