Ms VAGHELA (Western Metropolitan): My constituency question is directed to the Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services, the Honourable Jenny Mikakos. My question relates to the minister’s portfolio responsibilities for health.
People who work in health care and aged care risk catching diseases that are preventable through vaccination from infected patients and other contacts. Vulnerable people in their care, such as young children and older people, can become exposed to these diseases.
Through immunisation the risk will be reduced. Therefore, the Andrews Labor government is stepping up the fight against flu and making vaccinations compulsory for frontline doctors and nurses in our hospitals and paramedics caring for Victoria’s most vulnerable patients.
In 2019, the Labor government set a target for an 84 per cent flu vaccination rate amongst healthcare workers, which was well exceeded, reaching 88 per cent across the state.
My question to the Minister is:
Can the Minister provide an update on how the Andrews Labor government’s new mandatory vaccination policy will benefit and protect the healthcare workers in my electorate?