ACTU seeks clarity on vaccine plan for aged care, disability support workers

Media Release - April 22, 2021

The Morrison Government has still not made clear when frontline healthcare workers in aged care and disability support roles will have access to the vaccine.

These workers are the last healthcare workers anywhere in the country to be vaccinated and have been repeatedly told they would be in the highest priority 1A group.

Months into the rollout an estimated 15 per cent of aged care workers and 1 per cent of disability support workers have been vaccinated.

The ACTU is meeting with Minister Hunt today and has sought meetings with other relevant Ministers to seek clarity on the rollout on behalf of these workers.

Attributable to ACTU Assistant Secretary Liam O’Brien:

“Workers in aged care and disability support have been on the frontline, protecting our most vulnerable from this virus. The vaccine will make them and the people they care for safe, but the Morrison Government can’t even deliver a timeline.

“All these workers want is certainty about when they will be able to receive the vaccine. The Morrison Government is trying to move on with other announcements but these workers cannot be left behind.

“We are meeting with the responsible Ministers today and hope they will have more information to share with these workers who have protected our country through the pandemic.”

The ACTU Network

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