NSW Health have today announced that they will be requiring disability support workers who live OR work in LGAs of concern to have their first dose of a COVID vaccine by August 30.
Use the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker to find out when and where you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
The LGAs of concern as of today, Friday August 20 are:
- Bayside
- Blacktown
- Burwood
- Campbelltown
- Canterbury-Bankstown
- Cumberland
- Fairfield
- Georges River
- Liverpool
- Parramatta
- Strathfield
- Penrith (this now includes the entire council area for the purposes of disability workers)
If you are a disability support worker who lives or works in one of these LGAs and you have not had a first dose of a COVID vaccine yet, you will need to access that by August 30 in order to comply with the NSW Health Orders.
NSW Health have not released information yet on what the exemptions will be to this requirement. We will share that information with members as soon as we get it.
In the meantime, if you have questions about the NSW Health Order and what it means for you, please fill out this form below and we will be in touch.
NSW Health also announced today the following additional rules that apply to people who live or work in LGAs of concern:
From Monday August 23 if you live in an LGA of concern:
- Masks must be worn outside at all times except for exercise and outdoor exercise will be limited to one hour a day
- Curfews will be introduced from 9pm to 5am (unless you are an authorised worker, or in the case of emergencies or medical care).
From Saturday August 28 if you live OR work in an LGA of concern:
- All authorised workers who live or work in LGAs of concern will be required to carry a permit from Service NSW declaring that they are an authorised worker. We will provide more information to members about how to access the authorised worker permit when that is announced by Government. Disability Support Workers are authorised workers under NSW Health Orders.
It is important that everybody keeps safe at this time. The ASU has been advocating for workers to be supported to access the vaccine. This includes priority Pfizer access, paid time to access the vaccine and paid leave if you experience side effects. Members have worked to secure many of these arrangements in their workplaces. If your employer has not yet provided these supports please fill out this form below and we will get a Union Organiser to talk to you.