Vaccination will become mandatory for a huge list of occupations including teachers and those in hospitality and construction, Premier Mark McGowan has revealed — or risk a $20,000 fine.
The new rules will apply to roughly 75 per cent of WA’s workforce.
The cohort are the latest group to come under compulsory jab rules. Aged care and health care staff, “mission critical” mining workers, truckies, and port workers are already required to get vaccinated.
By December 1, a large list of occupations — including police, fire emergency workers, and community care workers — are required to have had one dose of the vaccine. Most workers included in this group are already included under existing mandates.
By January 1, the vaccination mandate will swell massively.
Jabs will become mandatory for workers in supermarkets, grocery stores, and bakeries, restaurants, pubs, bars, cafes, post offices, hardware stores, childcare or family day-care schools or boarding schools, financial institutions, petrol stations, public and commercial transport hotel, and other accommodation facilities, and the building maintenance or construction industries.
They will need to be fully vaccinated by the end of January.
A third group will be required to get vaccinated in the event of a lockdown.
This group will include: people employed in bottle shops, newsagents, pet stores, wholesalers, critical conveyancing and settlement agents, government or local government services (where working from home is not possible), vehicle, or mechanical and mechanical repair services, roadside assistance critical forestry primary industries and factories, manufacturing, fabrication and production, media services, and members of the web Parliament, and their staff.
“We know the threat is ever-present. So much about this virus is unpredictable,” Mr McGowan said.
“Today, we are giving vaccination a shot in the arm.
“It is proportionate and reasonable and is aimed at preparing Western Australia safely for the inevitable community transmission.”