When Will Boosters Become Mandatory?

While recognising the seriousness of COVID-19, there appears to be encouraging news about the declining COVID cases, hospitalisation numbers (including those in intensive care units (ICUs)) and deaths.

That said, as a core part of the NSW Department of Education’s COVID-smart strategies, the NSW Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning (the Hon Sarah Mitchell MLC) on 17 February 2022 stated that she was expecting an updated NSW Public Health Order from the NSW Minister for Health to mandate COVID vaccine boosters for school-based educators.

By inference, Minister Mitchell is suggesting the COVID vaccine booster requirements will also apply to all early childhood education and care (ECEC) services' personnel and volunteers.

For the ECEC sector, it is worth noting that the current NSW Public Health (COVID-19 Vaccination of Education and Care Workers) Order (last amended on 23 December 2021) requires two doses of COVID vaccines to be recognised as fully vaccinated (see Clause 5(1)(a)) for educators, teachers, staff and volunteers to work at services.

Since 9 January 2022, the NSW Department of Education has been broadcasting to the sector that "... booster vaccinations will be mandated for education and care workers" but to date such has not yet been mandatory.

ACA NSW will update members when COVID boosters become a mandatory requirement of all services' staff and volunteers upon the release of either a new or amended NSW Public Health Order.

Please note that it is likely there will be a phase-in period before a specific date when all early childhood education and care services' personnel and volunteers.

Should ACA NSW members require any further information/clarification, please contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au. 

PUBLISHED: 22 FEBRUARY 2022