Catholic Education South Australia has opened a consultation on a proposed COVID-19 Vaccination Policy.
The proposed policy maintains the requirement for employees, contractors, board members and regular volunteers in schools to be vaccinated. It will also apply to staff who work in Catholic Education Offices. The policy would maintain the settings that applied under the mandate and would be reviewed again in November 2022.
The consultation on the COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, Procedure and Risk Assessment is open to all employees, contractors, board members and regular volunteers until 4pm on Wednesday April 20.
“As we head into the winter months, and knowing how quickly Covid numbers can rise, it is important that we continue to be extremely vigilant,” said Dr Neil McGoran, Director, Catholic Education South Australia.
“We have been advised that the best thing to support the safety of our staff and students in Catholic Schools at this time – noting that we are currently in a covid peak - is to continue with vaccination.
“The evidence is widely accepted. Vaccination is the most effective and efficient control available to combat the risks posed by COVID-19.
“We believe that continuing to maintain COVID-19 vaccination requirements as a condition of employment and workplace entry is very important. We know that these measures are beneficial in preventing serious illness, and potential death, arising from COVID-19 transmission.
“We are proposing to maintain the current settings for the remainder of the year, with a commitment to review again in November 2022.
“This policy will allow us to monitor the progress of the pandemic and the way the virus transmits within the community and our schools. Towards the end of the year, we will be able to review these settings again, informed by the most up to date health advice.”
Speaking on ABC Radio Adelaide on April 6, Professor Nicola Spurrier said that to have unvaccinated teachers returning to the classroom was “very risky.”
“It’s very risky for them from a work health and safety perspective,” she said.
“We know that there’s lots of children who have COVID at the moment and it is a risk. Many adults do have pre-existing health problems, so it certainly is a work health and safety risk and I think that’s one of the things that the schools will be weighing up - the risk to that workforce.
“On the other hand, we do know that the vaccine - as well as protecting you - does reduce your chance of becoming infected and also can reduce the chance of the virus being transmitted on to other people.”
This policy would apply to employees, contractors, regular volunteers, and board members.
It would also extend to anyone who hires or uses CESA Facilities and non-incidental visitors (eg a person who attends on multiple occasions).
The proposed policy would continue the current medical exemptions that were in place under the mandate. Only staff with an approved medical exemption would be able to work unvaccinated.
Work Health and Safety Consultation and Enterprise Agreement requirements for staff specify that we must consult all employees, contractors, volunteers, and board members and inform the Independent Education Union.
Alongside side of this, Catholic Safety Health and Welfare SA have conducted a risk assessment to assess the risk posed by the removal of the mandate across workplace settings.
“We are being very transparent,” said Dr McGoran. “Whether you agree, or have concerns, we want to hear what you think. The feedback will help inform our policy and processes going forward.”
How to access the feedback form
Those within the scope of the consultation will have received a memorandum including a link to the feedback form.
Any staff member, including those on leave, who doesn’t have access to the feedback form should contact their Principal.
Likewise, regular volunteers, should have received an invitation to respond. Regular volunteers are those with a regular weekly commitment at a school (not those who might attend the occasional excursion or help out at school events a few times a year).
Any parent with questions about the consultation should contact Catholic School Parents SA.
The feedback form remains open until 4pm on Wednesday April 20.
Read More about Catholic Education SA’s Covid Safe Policies.
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