A new policy will be in place to accommodate unvaccinated staff
Police in South Australia will no longer be required to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 after its top cop announced that the mandate will be dropped starting Monday 7th March. In a statement, the Commissioner of Police Grant Stevens expressed confidence that the risks to the personnel of South Australian Police (SAPOL) can now be effectively managed through "alternative controls" rather than imposing a jab mandate.
The mandate, otherwise known as the Police Workers Vaccination Direction, was issued back in November 2021 to require employees to get vaccinated.
Thanks to the initiative, SAPOL managed to get 98.5% of its workforce vaccinated against COVID-19. And with the policy to be dropped, unvaccinated workers may be permitted again to engage in police work or attend police workplace settings.
Replacing the Police Workers Vaccination Direction, however, is a new managerial direction still asks employees to have the first of second dose of approved COVID-19 vaccine by the commencement date.
Its difference from the previous policy will be on how it deals with unvaccinated staff. Under managerial direction, those who have refused to get the jabs may now be permitted to return to the workplace with the following conditions:
- They immediately undertake a Rapid Antigen Test and provide results to their immediate supervisor when arriving for their shift at a SAPOL setting
- They wear a properly fitted Particulate Filter Respirator mask for the duration of their shift.
"Whilst the managerial direction enables unvaccinated employees to return to their substantive duties, there will be some limitations regarding their ability to attend some settings such as Residential Aged Care Facilities, Disability Facilities and the Forensic Science building," Stevens explained in a statement.
"The ongoing requirement for vaccination mandates are particular for the sectors to which they apply. As the State Coordinator, I am engaging with, and seeking advice from, agencies and sectors which have a mandatory vaccination direction. That advice will be taken into consideration with regard to the ongoing application of the Emergency Management Act Directions which impact those agencies," he added.
Read more: HR leader urges caution over mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policies
For healthcare workers
The announcement from SAPOL came the same day as vaccination policies in the province's healthcare sector changed. The latest Emergency Management (Healthcare Setting Workers Vaccination No 7) (COVID-19) Direction 2022 took effect on March 4, according to a government announcement.
The new direction states that people who work or perform duties in healthcare settings on a single occasion or an infrequent and irregular basis will no longer need to get vaccinated before they are granted entry.
According to the policy, the said workers should just need to present a negative Rapid Antigen Test taken on the day of attending the healthcare setting or 24 hours before that.
"They are not required to be fully vaccinated to enter the healthcare setting provided they have done the above prior to entry and comply with wearing appropriate PPE as required by the Operator of the setting," explained the announcement.
