Vaccination against Covid-19

Policy 2022

Vaccination against Covid-19 Policy, 2022 (Summary)
Forming part of: Giant Steps Tasmania’s Health & Safety Manual

(This is a summary of the full version of the policy kept on the premises of Giant Steps Tasmania. If there is any discrepancy between this version and the full version, the full version will be accepted as the true version. The full version can be seen by parents/ carers at any time.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the school’s Covid Management Plan.)

Policy Statement
Giant Steps Tasmania supports the Tasmanian Department of Education’s Policy on Mandatory Full Vaccination against Covid-19 for those employed in schools in order to “provide continuity of service provision to Tasmanian learners and …
create safer workplaces that protect employees, learners, families and the general
community from the risk of COVID-19.”

Purpose
While acknowledging the continued existence of the Covid-19 virus and the dangers that it
poses to students, staff and families, Giant Steps Tasmania aims to provide the safe
continuation of services to students of Giant Steps Tasmania by ensuring the optimum
protection of all adults on-site at the school. Giant Steps Tasmania views the optimum protection of adults working at the school as an essential element of its duty of care to its students.

Who the policy refers to
· Anyone employed by Giant Steps Tasmania in any capacity (full-time or part-time,
permanent or casual, as an administrator, cleaner, aide, teacher or therapist); or
· A contractor or subcontractor paid by Giant Steps Tasmania to work on-site; or
· An apprentice or trainee working on-site at Giant Steps Tasmania; or
· A student gaining work experience at Giant Steps Tasmania; or
· A volunteer at Giant Steps Tasmania; or
· A member of the Board of Giant Steps Tasmania who comes onto the premises
Please note: Adults who can supply a Vaccine Medical Exemption Form, completed by a
registered medical practitioner, are not required to be fully vaccinated. Adults who are
exempt from vaccination are required to wear a fitted face covering at all times while onsite at Giant Steps Tasmania and maintain all hygiene protocols in place.

Definitions
Approved COVID-19 Vaccine = a vaccine that is registered for use in respect of COVID-19 by
the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and is considered by the TGA to be a
‘recognised vaccine’ in respect of COVID-19. These vaccines, as of December 2021, include
Comirnaty (Pfizer), Spikevax (Moderna) and Vaxzevira (AstraZeneca).
Fully Vaccinated = having obtained the manufacturer’s recommended dosage of an
Approved Vaccine. This definition may be updated to reflect future public health advice on
boosters.

Implementation
Giant Steps Tasmania has undertaken a Risk Assessment which informs this policy and which can be provided to parents/ carers on request. This Risk Assessment has resulted in Giant Steps Tasmania requiring all adults who wish to work at the school in any capacity to be fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine against Covid-19.

Giant Steps Tasmania’s Administration Assistants keep a staff list and record the vaccination status of all staff.

Where an employee has not submitted evidence that they are fully vaccinated they will not be able to attend work, will be stood aside and will not be paid.

The principal will not engage or appoint any worker who has not provided the required
evidence that they are fully vaccinated; and will take all reasonable steps to ensure that a
worker does not enter, or remain on, the premises if the worker has not provided the
prescribed evidence that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

In accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act 2004, all information provided
by employees under this policy will be treated confidentially and will not be stored. It will
only be used for the purposes of determining compliance with the vaccination requirements.

This policy will be updated at least annually to reflect changes in Public Health advice and/or
directions, including future changes in approved vaccinations or vaccination booster
requirements.