This article aims to explore the topic of NSW booster mandate. Since early 2021, Covid-19 vaccination has remained a hot topic. Discussions around vaccinations have governed mainstream organisations and international bodies.
Moreover, the issues of vaccination disparity in the world wherein developing countries have limited access to vaccines is also a grave one.
On the other hand, many developed countries have administered booster shots for their populations. After a specific time period, a person receives an additional booster shot after the primary dose of a vaccine.
Since boosters shots have been available, questions about NSW booster mandate have become common. Since March 1 2022, the government in NSW made it mandatory for aged care workers – residential, community or in-home aged care workers – to receive a minimum of three Covid-19 vaccination doses in order to gain employment.
NSW Booster Mandate Versus Victoria Booster Mandate
The NSW booster mandate is slightly different to the mandates in NSW’s counterparts such as Victoria. This section will discuss the existing NSW booster mandate in comparison to existing mandates in Victoria.
In February this year, NSW had announced that it will not mandate booster shots. Victoria and South Australia had already included a third shot in the definition of ‘fully vaccinated.’
On 1 March this year, the NSW government announced that a third dose will be mandatory – as a condition of employment – for aged care workers i.e. all community, in-home and residential workers.
As part of the NSW booster mandate, the state imposed a deadline in April in which, the state required all disability workers and aged care staff to take the booster shot. In April, the healthcare workers were unable to receive their third dose. This was due to the postponement of their third dose.
As part of the NSW booster mandate, the state imposed a deadline in April in which, the state required all disability workers and aged care staff to take the booster shot.
By extending the deadline, healthcare workers can accomodate more patients. Meanwhile, essential workers in Victoria were unable to receive the third jab.
Victoria Mandate
Essential workers in Victoria need to get three doses in order to be able to work on site. Essential workers in Victoria include healthcare workers, disability workers, residential aged care facility workers, custodial workers, education workers, food distribution workers and others.
Victoria has also expanded the booster mandate to include not just essential workers but also people who wish to access hospital venues. In Victoria, disability workers had to get their third dose of vaccination by February 2022. With the date extended to March 2022, all disability workers can still avail their booster shots.
On April 28 2022, nearly 420 public school teachers had to go on unauthorised leave. The same teachers failed to receive the booster shot before the March deadline.
As opposed to this, unvaccinated teachers in NSW have received the green signal to resume work from around mid-May. Apart from Victoria, The Northern Territory and Western Australia required their teachers to receive the booster shots.
NSW Booster Mandate: Who Is Eligible To Receive The Booster Dose?
The following is the eligibility criteria for the booster dose of Covid-19 vaccination:
- People who have completed the primary dose course. The primary dose course of Covid-19 vaccination includes the first 2 doses of the vaccination.
The primary dose course can also include a single dose if one dose is considered the complete course, or three doses if the person was immunocompromised. Someone who is immunocompromised has a severely weak immune system which is unable to fight off any diseases and infections.
- People who are 16 years and older; and
- People who have received the second dose of Covid-19 vaccination a minimum of 3 months prior.
What Is The Winter Booster Dose In NSW?
When reading up on NSW booster mandate, you will come across the topic of “winter booster.” In NSW, since April 2022, some people could be eligible to receive a winter booster i.e. a second booster shot or fourth vaccine dose.
The eligibility criteria for the winter booster in NSW includes:
- Person aged 65 years or over;
- Resident of an aged care facility, or a disability care facility;
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person who is aged 50 or over;
- Severely immunocompromised persons
- Persons aged over 16
Notably, Immunocompromised people can receive a fifth jab. This is know as the winter boost dose. This totals to three primary doses, the first booster, and the winter booster dose.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, we will discuss some frequently asked questions related to NSW booster mandate.
Q1 – Why are people under 16 not eligible for a booster shot?
The severe symptoms of Covid-19 can’t affect this age group and the primary doses are already sufficient to strengthen their immunity.
Q2 – Where to check dates of primary doses?
Your Covid-19 vaccination certificate will reflect dates of primary and secondary doses. Your MyGov account can provide this online certificate.
Q3 – Can I get booster after I have contracted the virus?
It is recommended that you wait for 3 months after being infected with Covid-19 before you obtain your next dose of vaccination.
NSW Legal Advice: JB Solicitors
Tackling Covid-19 needs a global effort. Vaccinations are the most efficient way in which our community can collectively fight against the virus.
We hope that this brief article on NSW booster mandate has provided you with an idea about the booster shots.
Regardless of the pandemic, people in our community continue to face issues in their personal and professional lives. Our team of lawyers at JB Solicitors is a community-oriented group that aims to achieve progress.
Considering various restrictions that were imposed in the past two years, we have stepped up and offered a variety of flexible avenues to ensure that you continue to receive the legal support you need.
For more enquiries, get in touch with our team of family lawyers today.
