COVID-19 Update – Mandatory Vaccination
The health and safety of all shareholders, stallholders, suppliers, visitors and staff at Melbourne Seafood Centre is our highest priority. We continue to closely monitor the situation and respond to all requirements in line with advice and directions from the Victorian Government and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Victorian Government published directions on the Department of Health and Human Services website from the Acting Chief Health Officer relating to mandatory COVID 19 vaccination requirements for “Workers”, as defined in the Directions.
The Directions broadly reflect the announcement made by Premier, Daniel Andrews on Friday 1 October 2021 about vaccination requirements, with some slight changes.
The primary alteration is a delay in the first vaccination dose deadline from 15 October 2021 to 22 October 2021.
Both Melbourne Seafood Centre employees and your employees are covered under the broad definition of “retail worker” at clause 28 of the Directions. “Retail worker” means a person who works at or in connection with a retail facility or a wholesale or distribution facility.
The Melbourne Seafood Centre is a wholesale facility.
In addition, in line with the Premier’s announcement, it was widely anticipated that the responsibility to collect, record, and hold vaccination information about workers and restrict access where required, would be the responsibility of the operator of an authorised facility. However, upon the release of the updated directions, the approach has now been confirmed that the responsibility to ensure authorised workers are vaccinated falls on employers.
All market users are still required to have their first COVID-19 vaccine dose by Friday, 22 October 2021 and fully vaccinated by 26 November 2021; however, it is now the responsibility of all market businesses to collect, record and hold vaccination information about their workers and to restrict work on-site, not Melbourne Seafood Centre as the operator of the site. However, Melbourne Seafood Centre has the right to refuse entry should compliance not be adhered to.
While these updated directions change the way we record vaccination data, what doesn’t change is the effect of COVID-19 on individuals and businesses. The most important thing you can do for the health and safety of yourself, your loved ones and your businesses is to get vaccinated.
USEFUL LINKS
https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-sector-guidance-agriculture-forestry-and-fishing
https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/information-workers-required-be-vaccinated