Mandatory vaccinations win

In early September, AMA Queensland and the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation Queensland (ASMOFQ) called for mandatory vaccinations for all workers in the health care system, with a survey finding Queensland doctors overwhelmingly support the move.

The online survey of AMA Queensland members, run in conjunction with ASMOFQ, found almost nine in 10 support mandatory vaccinations for all health care workers, and almost 80 per cent are concerned about working alongside unvaccinated workers.

On 12 September, the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, the Hon Yvette D’Ath MP, announced the public health order for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for all Queensland Health and Queensland Ambulance Services employees.

“Health care workers were prioritised in the first stages of the vaccine rollout and for good reasons,” AMA Queensland President Professor Chris Perry said.

“We cannot continue to have a situation where people catch COVID in their workplace, or worry about taking it home to their families and loved ones.”

ASMOFQ President Dr Hau Tan said doctors have the highest vaccination rates in the state and are to be commended for leading by example.

“All health care workers who can be vaccinated must be vaccinated. It doesn’t matter if you’re treating patients in the ICU or taking down their details at the front desk, you are at risk of contracting COVID-19, passing it on to others and becoming severely ill or even dying,” Dr Tan said.

“It doesn’t take many health care workers either being sick or required to self-isolate for weeks to wreak havoc on staffing levels within hospitals, and the capacity to provide adequate services to our patients.”