Unvaccinated Victorian teachers will be free to return to the classroom starting Monday after the triple vaccination mandate against COVID-19 for school staff expires tomorrow night.
Teachers will be able to return to all regular schools, but the mandate remains valid in specialized and non-governmental schools.
Parents will not be informed of the vaccination status of teachers and no one at the school will have access to this information.
Teachers will be able to return to all regular schools, but the mandate remains valid in specialized schools. (Getty) “Parents have no right to ask for this information and no one at school should have this information,” says a fact sheet for principals seen by The Age.
“Principals have no information on staff or student immunization status.”
It comes after 351 members of the education staff were fired in April for not receiving the blow and 280 more employees were fired for failing to get a third blow.
The latter can now return to their roles, while those who were fired can look for a new job.
In Victoria, 68.1% of people 16 years of age and older have received three doses of COVID-19 vaccine, while 94.6% of residents 12 years of age or older are doubly vaccinated. (AP) (AP)
At the time, the Department of Education and Training said 99.2% of staff had received three doses.
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Changes to isolation rules, facial mask requirements and state vaccine warrants will go into effect starting at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 24th.
The essential vaccination mandate for workers will be reduced for various industries, with the exception of health workers working with vulnerable people.
“To continue to protect the most vulnerable during the winter, workers interacting with a vulnerable person will still need three doses of COVID-19 vaccine,” the Victoria government said in a statement.
“This includes residential care for the elderly and disability care, health care and custody and emergency services, including police.”