Individuals and businesses in Western Australia (WA) will have to pay thousands of dollars in fines if they fail to comply with the state’s vaccine mandates.
More than one million people in WA have to be fully vaccinated against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) by the end of January next year because of new mandates that will affect at least three-quarters of the state’s workforce. The new directives from the Western Australian government are some of the most all-encompassing and ambitious of any Australian state.
Citizens of WA who refuse to comply will have to pay a fine of up to $20,000. Meanwhile, required businesses with unvaccinated staff will have to pay fines of up to $100,000.
According to the new requirements, industries with risks of community transmission include:
- Accommodation, hotels and motels
- Bakeries, groceries and supermarkets
- Bars, cafes, pubs and restaurants
- Childcare and schools
- Construction
- Critical infrastructures, such as utilities
- Financial institutions
- Freight, public and private transport
- Hardware stores
- Petrol stations
- Post offices
Other sectors, such as government and media, are required to be fully vaccinated before they can resume work during lockdowns.
WA Premier Mark McGowan: Get vaccinated immediately
In a press release, WA Premier Mark McGowan advised citizens to get vaccinated immediately. “I want to make it abundantly clear that everyone who is eligible should get the COVID-19 vaccine now as we all need to be prepared for the event of community transmission or a lockdown,” said McGowan.
He added that citizens shouldn’t wait for the delta variant to enter WA before getting vaccinated, regardless if people actually want to get inoculated or not.
Western Australia is a little behind on vaccination uptake compared with other jurisdictions. McGowan and WA Vaccine Commander and Police Chief Chris Dawson have made it known that they are frustrated over the refusal of some residents to sign up for vaccination.
To date, 73.6 percent of children aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. While 55.5 percent are fully vaccinated, figures fall short of the government’s target of reaching 80 percent of the population fully vaccinated by the end of 2021.
Thousands protest against WA’s vaccine mandates
The McGowan government has also faced criticism for failing to announce a deadline for reopening interstate borders and for promising continued lockdowns amid community transmission even when 80 percent of the eligible population are already fully vaccinated.
Thousands of people from WA have turned up to protest against the draconian vaccine mandates. There have been three protests in September alone, with workers opting to lose their jobs instead of being coerced into getting vaccinated.
It’s unknown how the government will support the health industry once staff leave, especially since it is already facing a healthcare staff shortage crisis. Citizens have also voiced their dissatisfaction with McGowan’s leadership decisions, particularly after he insulted protestors by saying that they should “grow a brain.”
Health experts around the globe have spoken up against vaccination mandates. Martin Kulldorf, a Harvard public health researcher, warned that forcing citizens to get vaccinated would result in a “loss of public confidence.”
“Why do you have to force somebody to take the vaccine, if it’s so beneficial to you?’ That’s one rationale,” said Kulldorf.
Victoria to retain “vaccinated economy” for 2022
On Sunday, Oct. 24, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced that the state’s “vaccinated economy” will remain in place for 2022.
This means that if you are unvaccinated, you can’t go to work or attend many events and workplaces in Victoria. He added that the unvaccinated also can’t enter bookshops, pubs and football matches until at least 2023.
“We will retain the vaccinated economy, all those requirements where you only get in if you are double vaccinated, and you can tap and verify that for everybody,” said Andrews.
In Victoria, most businesses and venues are required to check the vaccination status of all visitors and staff older than 16 before they can enter the premises. This directive was enforced on Oct. 22.
But in New South Wales (NSW), Victoria’s northern neighboring state, unvaccinated persons will be allowed the same freedoms as vaccinated citizens by Dec. 1. Proof of vaccination will also no longer be required in NSW by that time.
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