WA’S MANDATORY VACCINE RULES FOR MANY WORKERS AND UNVACCINATED OVERSEAS ARRIVALS EASED
0WA’s mandatory vaccine rules for many workers and unvaccinated overseas arrivals eased
Mandatory vaccination rules are being eased in WA as third dose jab rates continue to rise and daily case numbers show the State is “clearly past the peak of the Omicron wave”. Premier Mark McGowan has announced. Effective immediately. unvaccinated returning Australians and permanent residents no longer have to quarantine for seven days on arrival in WA. with the cap of 70 arrivals now lifted. but unvaccinated non Australians still can’t enter the country under Commonwealth rules. From Friday next week. vaccination mandates will be dropped for workplaces except for health care. residential aged care and disability settings. Mr McGowan said. That means lifting the ban for the all important FIFO workforce. The Labor leader said the policy had been “extraordinarily effective” and saved lives but the changes were based on advice from the chief health officer. He said that since March. 270 public sector workers had quit or been terminated over the jab and about 500 others who had been unable to enter their workplaces — from a public sector workforce of 151.000 — would be contacted to see how they could return to work. “They will be dealt with on a case by case basis.” Mr McGowan said. Some employers. including areas of certain public sector agencies. could still choose to keep temporary mandates for their workforces. Mr McGowan added. Mr McGowan also announced the ban on entry to remote Aboriginal communities would be lifted from June 15 but some may choose to apply their own restrictions. “With these changes. it means the remaining baseline public health measures are limited to mask wearing. proof of vaccination and visitor limits in certain settings.” he said. “Keep wearing a mask when necessary or even when you just feel like doing it.” The Premier also revealed 8452 new cases had been recorded overnight — up from 8201 on Tuesday — but well down from 16.253 two weeks ago. There are 298 cases in hospital. eight of whom are in intensive care. while one person has died with the virus. Third dose rates for West Australians aged 16 and over has risen to 81.8 per cent. Mr McGowan urged people to remain vigilant with the worst of the winter flu season approaching. Pop up flu and COVID vaccination clinics will be open over coming weeks. with 21 per cent of WA’s eligible population jabbed against the flu so far this year.
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