Close to 50 ACT healthcare workers reject vaccine mandate, will be redeployed

Canberra Health Services chief executive Dave Peffer said 47 workers had confirmed they would not receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Mr Peffer said, as of Monday afternoon, 23 of those workers had been redeployed.

The ACT government last month introduced a mandate for healthcare workers with the highest risk of coming into contact with the virus.

Under the public health order, workers were required to have at least their first vaccine dose by October 29 and be fully vaccinated by December 1.

Mr Peffer said that last Friday Canberra Health Services were waiting for 327 staff to provide evidence of a vaccination or inform authorities if they had not planned to receive a vaccine.

By Monday that number had whittled down to 60.

Chief health officer Kerryn Coleman told an inquiry into the ACT government's COVID-19 response the mandate for healthcare workers was brought in because the vaccine rate wasn't as high as she hoped. This was despite a more than 95 per cent vaccine rate prior to the mandate.

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"We had a relatively good uptake but still not what I had really hoped for," Dr Coleman said.

"The impact of an introduction of a case is significant in a healthcare facility and that's why the entire healthcare facility has been captured because of the movement of staff across hospitals, as well as other aspects of the facility."

ACT government vaccine mandates have also been introduced for disability support workers and teachers.

Dr Coleman said she was not considering any further mandates for certain industries at this stage.

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