• Who we are
    • Who we are Our Network Activities
  • Immunisation
    • Throughout Life
      • Across The Lifespan
      • Kids
      • Adolescents
      • Adults
      • Pregnancy
      • Older Adults
      Diseases
      • HPV
      • Influenza
      • Meningococcal Disease
      • Pneumococcal Disease
      • Shingles
      • Whooping Cough
      Immunisation Info
      • Australian State Based Free Immunisations
      • Immunisations Facts
      • Herd Immunity
      • How Vaccines Work
      Be FluSmart
      • Influenza and Heart Attack
      • Be Smart About Flu
      • Flu Facts
      • Influenza and Children
      • Influenza-65 years and over
      • Influenza and Pregnancy
      • Flu Videos
      • Travel FluSmart
      • Who’s at risk?
      Be PneumoSmart
      • Be smart about pneumococcal disease
      • Pneumococcal Disease Facts
  • News & Media
    • Flu Statistics
      • 2020 Influenza Statistics
      • Historic Influenza Statistics
      Advocacy
      • Immunisation Coalition Position Statements
      Latest News
      • Jab Chat : Dr Rod Pearce AM on the Byron Cooke show
      • UNLOCKING AUSTRALIA
      • Notice regarding the 2020 influenza vaccine supply in Australia
      • Latest data shows Australians are keen to protect themselves from influenza this year!
      • Statement on Mandatory Healthcare Workers Influenza Vaccination in Victoria
      • South Australia: Meningococcal B Immunisation Program
      • Children and the flu
      • The Flu – It’s Not a Cold, It’s a Killer
      • Media Release: Experts call for mandatory flu vaccination for Health Care Workers
      • Update on Meningococcal W
  • Events
    • Australian Events and Conferences
      • Influenza Action Week
      • 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting
      • The Immunisation Coalition’s free influenza vaccination events – mailing list
      • 2021 Adult Immunisation Forum – New date
      • Other Australian events and conferences
      International Events
      • International Events
      Previous Events
      • 2020 ISG Annual Scientific Meeting
      • 2019 Adult Immunisation Forum
      • 2019 ISG Annual Scientific Meeting
      • 2018 Adult Immunisation Forum
      • 2018 ISG Annual Scientific Meeting
      • 2017 Adult Immunisation Forum
      • 2017 ISG Annual Scientific Meeting
      Webinars
  • Resources
    • COVID-19
      • COVID-19 information and links to Australian Government resources
      • COVID-19 helpful links and other information
      • COVID-19 Webinar Series
      • Unlocking Australia
      Fact Sheets
      • Flu Fact Sheet
      • Fact Sheets for vaccine preventable diseases
      Guides For Health Care Professionals
      • Antiviral Treatments for Influenza
      • Influenza
      • Vaccination During Pregnancy
      • Meningococcal Disease
      • Pertussis
      • Pneumococcal Disease Guide
      • Shingles
      Immunisation Guides
      • Vaccination Guide
      • Measles Vaccination Catch-up Guide
      Tools
      • Pneumococcal Vaccination Tool
      • Take the flu test
      Other resources
      • Reports and other important documents
      • 2019 Flu Truths Materials
      • Free posters to download
      • Request Forms
      • Useful Links
      Webinars
      • COVID-19 Webinar Series
      • RACGP Meningococcal Disease webinar
      • Immunisation Coalition’s 2021 Webinar Calendar
      • 2020 Shingles Webinar
      • 2020 Pertussis Webinar
      • 2020 Pneumococcal Disease Webinar
      • 2020 Meningococcal Disease Webinar
      • 2020 Influenza Vaccination Webinar
      Videos
      • YouTube Channel
  • /immunisationcoalition
  • @immunisationgap
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • /immunisationcoalition
  • @immunisationgap
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Immunisation Coalition,
  • Who we are
    Who we are Our Network Activities
  • Immunisation
    • Throughout Life
      • Across The Lifespan
        Read more
      • Kids
        Read more
      • Adolescents
        Read more
      • Adults
        Read more
      • Pregnancy
        Read more
      • Older Adults
        Read more
    • Diseases
      • HPV
        Read more
      • Influenza
        Read more
      • Meningococcal Disease
        Read more
      • Pneumococcal Disease
        Read more
      • Shingles
        Read more
      • Whooping Cough
        Read more
    • Immunisation Info
      • Australian State Based Free Immunisations
        Read more
      • Immunisations Facts
        Read more
      • Herd Immunity
        Read more
      • How Vaccines Work
        Read more
    • Be FluSmart
      • Influenza and Heart Attack
        Read more
      • Be Smart About Flu
        Read more
      • Flu Facts
        Read more
      • Influenza and Children
        Read more
      • Influenza-65 years and over
        Read more
      • Influenza and Pregnancy
        Read more
      • Flu Videos
        Read more
      • Travel FluSmart
        Read more
      • Who’s at risk?
        Read more
    • Be PneumoSmart
      • Be smart about pneumococcal disease
        Read more
      • Pneumococcal Disease Facts
        Read more
  • News & Media
    • Flu Statistics
      • 2020 Influenza Statistics
        Read more
      • Historic Influenza Statistics
        Read more
    • Advocacy
      • Immunisation Coalition Position Statements
        Read more
    • Latest News
      • Jab Chat : Dr Rod Pearce AM on the Byron Cooke show
        Read more
      • UNLOCKING AUSTRALIA
        Read more
      • Notice regarding the 2020 influenza vaccine supply in Australia
        Read more
      • Latest data shows Australians are keen to protect themselves from influenza this year!
        Read more
      • Statement on Mandatory Healthcare Workers Influenza Vaccination in Victoria
        Read more
      • South Australia: Meningococcal B Immunisation Program
        Read more
      • Children and the flu
        Read more
      • The Flu – It’s Not a Cold, It’s a Killer
        Read more
      • Media Release: Experts call for mandatory flu vaccination for Health Care Workers
        Read more
      • Update on Meningococcal W
        Read more
  • Events
    • Australian Events and Conferences
      • Influenza Action Week
        Read more
      • 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting
        Read more
      • The Immunisation Coalition’s free influenza vaccination events – mailing list
        Read more
      • 2021 Adult Immunisation Forum – New date
        Read more
      • Other Australian events and conferences
        Read more
    • International Events
      • International Events
        Read more
    • Previous Events
      • 2020 ISG Annual Scientific Meeting
        Read more
      • 2019 Adult Immunisation Forum
        Read more
      • 2019 ISG Annual Scientific Meeting
        Read more
      • 2018 Adult Immunisation Forum
        Read more
      • 2018 ISG Annual Scientific Meeting
        Read more
      • 2017 Adult Immunisation Forum
        Read more
      • 2017 ISG Annual Scientific Meeting
        Read more
    • Webinars
  • Resources
    • COVID-19
      • COVID-19 information and links to Australian Government resources
        Read more
      • COVID-19 helpful links and other information
        Read more
      • COVID-19 Webinar Series
        Read more
      • Unlocking Australia
        Read more
    • Fact Sheets
      • Flu Fact Sheet
        Read more
      • Fact Sheets for vaccine preventable diseases
        Read more
    • Guides For Health Care Professionals
      • Antiviral Treatments for Influenza
        Read more
      • Influenza
        Read more
      • Vaccination During Pregnancy
        Read more
      • Meningococcal Disease
        Read more
      • Pertussis
        Read more
      • Pneumococcal Disease Guide
        Read more
      • Shingles
        Read more
    • Immunisation Guides
      • Vaccination Guide
        Read more
      • Measles Vaccination Catch-up Guide
        Read more
    • Tools
      • Pneumococcal Vaccination Tool
        Read more
      • Take the flu test
        Read more
    • Other resources
      • Reports and other important documents
        Read more
      • 2019 Flu Truths Materials
        Read more
      • Free posters to download
        Read more
      • Request Forms
        Read more
      • Useful Links
        Read more
    • Webinars
      • COVID-19 Webinar Series
        Read more
      • RACGP Meningococcal Disease webinar
        Read more
      • Immunisation Coalition’s 2021 Webinar Calendar
        Read more
      • 2020 Shingles Webinar
        Read more
      • 2020 Pertussis Webinar
        Read more
      • 2020 Pneumococcal Disease Webinar
        Read more
      • 2020 Meningococcal Disease Webinar
        Read more
      • 2020 Influenza Vaccination Webinar
        Read more
    • Videos
      • YouTube Channel
        Read more
  • Search
  • About this disease
  • Symptoms
  • How is it spread
  • Complications
  • Prevention
  • Treatment
  • Info for Clinicians

Statement on Mandatory Healthcare Workers Influenza Vaccination in Victoria

  • Home
  • News & Media
  • Latest News
  • Statement on Mandatory Healthcare Workers Influenza Vaccination in Victoria

The Immunisation Coalition (IC) welcomes the announcement by Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, to introduce mandatory influenza Vaccination for workers in high-risk areas including intensive care units, emergency wards, neonatal intensive care units and cancer wards.

Immunisation Coalition Chairman Robert Booy: “This is a great first step and good news for Victorian healthcare workers and their patients, and we hope other states will follow Victoria’s lead. The IC has supported the concept of mandatory healthcare worker vaccination for many years.”

The Immunisation Coalition supports mandatory healthcare worker vaccination across all healthcare settings and the development of a formal national guideline that positions vaccination as a condition of employment when working in patient contact roles. This condition should be implemented in combination with strict criteria for exemptions and the wearing of surgical masks during the influenza season for those granted these exemptions.

CEO Kim Sampson: “We are supporting the development of a national standardised system of vaccination surveillance and implementation across all healthcare settings. While it is a great first step to see frontline staff in Victoria’s public hospitals required to get the flu jab under new regulations, it is important to look at the bigger picture and include all healthcare sectors.”

Currently about 83 per cent of hospital staff across the state have been vaccinated against the flu, while at the Royal Children’s Hospital the number was believed to be hovering at about 88 per cent. 

The IC calls for healthcare workers, allied health and ancillary staff members and their employers to recognise their duty and responsibility to protect themselves, their contacts and their patients from influenza.  

Seasonal influenza remains the leading cause of annual vaccine­-preventable disease, associated hospitalisation and death in Australia. The immunisation of healthcare workers plays a significant role in preventing nosocomial transmission in healthcare settings.   Although some voluntary healthcare worker vaccination programs have been effective when combined with strong institutional leadership and robust educational campaigns, the rates of influenza vaccination amongst healthcare workers in Australia remain suboptimal, especially in nursing homes. This influenza season a large number of nursing homes have been in lock down – 18 alone in South Australia.

Non-immunised healthcare workers put themselves and their patients at risk. Therefore the IC supports the concept of mandatory vaccination to protect healthcare workers and their patients from influenza, across all healthcare settings. 1.  The IC believes that the health system should embrace healthcare worker vaccination as a core safety practice to protect staff and patients. 

  1. Chiu C, Dey A, Wang H, Menzies R, Deeks S, Mahajan D, et al. Vaccine preventable diseases in Australia, 2005- Commun DisIntell 2010: 34: S1–167  

Page published: 7 August 2019

UNLOCKING AUSTRALIA

Notice regarding the 2020 influenza vaccine supply in Australia

Latest data shows Australians are keen to protect themselves from influenza this year!

Statement on Mandatory Healthcare Workers Influenza Vaccination in Victoria

South Australia: Meningococcal B Immunisation Program

Children and the flu

The Flu – It’s Not a Cold, It’s a Killer

Media Release: Experts call for mandatory flu vaccination for Health Care Workers

Update on Meningococcal W

  • The Coalition
    • Activities
    • Our Network
    • Who are we?
  • Events
    • Immunisation
      • Be FluSmart
      • Be PneumoSmart
      • Diseases
      • Immunisation Info
      • Throughout Life
    • News & Media
      • Advocacy
      • Flu Statistics
      • Latest News
      • Statistics for other diseases
    • Resources
      • COVID-19
      • Events
      • Fact Sheets
      • Guides For Health Care Professionals
      • Immunisation guides
      • Other resources
      • Tools
      • Videos
      • Webinars
    • Events
      • Australian Events and Conferences
      • International Events
      • Previous Events
    • QUICK LINKS
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Disclaimer
      • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Our website does not host any form of advertising.
    • This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:
      verify here.

    © 2021 Immunisation Coalition