13 JulMore ECEC staff now included Vic COVID-19 vaccination priority groups
More staff working in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector will be eligible for priority COVID-19 vaccination. This extension relates to staff who interact with children living with a specified underlying medical condition or significant disability.The Victorian Department of Education and Training advises that prioritised access to vaccination for staff specified above is “in recognition of the vulnerability of children living with specified medical conditions or significant disability to becoming very unwell if they become infected with the coronavirus”.
ELAA welcomes the prioritisation of vaccination eligibility to protect vulnerable children. We also seek that the entire ECEC workforce be prioritised for vaccination.
ELAA has advocated through the National Workforce Strategy for ECEC, and written to the Victorian Minister for Early Childhood, the Acting Premier and the Minister for Health, to recommend the early childhood education and care workforce is included in the priority list for COVID-19 vaccinations.
Prioritised access to vaccination is necessary to minimise disruptions to the early childhood workforce due to COVID-19. Given the current workforce shortages and difficulties in finding replacement staff, we are concerned that services would need to cancel sessions or close if a staff members are diagnosed with COVID-19.
Educators, and families, need assurance that early childhood education services remain a safe environment for children and safe workplaces. Educators and teachers have daily interactions with children and families and cannot socially distance. This poses health and operational challenges for staff.
ELAA urges early childhood education and care workers eligible to book in for a vaccine. We will continue to advocate for eligibility to be extended across the workforce.
In summary, the following categories of Early Childhood Education and Care workers are now eligible for a vaccine:
- all Victorians aged 40 years and over.
- staff in Phase 1b Priority Group 1, being:
-Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registered nurses and allied health workers in clinical and non-clinical roles in early childhood services
- staff in Phase 1b Priority Group 2 (caregivers’ provision):
-workers in early childhood education and care services, directly working with children (within 1.5 metres of children for over 15 minutes) living with a specified underlying medical condition or significant disability requiring frequent assistance with activities of daily living.*
*More details regarding what constitutes a specified underlying medical condition or significant disability in a child can be found in Vic DET’s latest COVID-19 update (see link at the end of this article).
As you would no doubt be aware the Federal Government has announced that from 17 June 2021, it is recommended the Pfizer vaccine be given to people under 60 years of age, the AstraZeneca vaccine be given to people aged 60 years and over.
People in later phases are not eligible for vaccination at this time. The Department will provide further information about vaccine eligibility for ECEC staff aged under 40 years not included in Phase 1b when it is available.
Further information re COVID-19 vaccine including eligibility requirements and how to access the vaccine can be found by CLICKING HERE for Vic DET’s latest COVID 19 update.
