WORKERS in key industries will need a third dose booster before they can work onsite under a mandate that was yesterday announced by the Victorian Government.
Under new changes that will be signed off at 11.59pm Wednesday, the booster mandate will be enforced in healthcare, aged care, disability, emergency services, jails, quarantine and food distribution workplaces.
Workers eligible for their booster on or before Wednesday will have until February 12 to meet the requirement, Health Minister Martin Foley said.
Workers who are not yet eligible will be required to get a booster within three months and two weeks of the deadline from their second dose.
It comes as the Swan Hill local government area recorded 51 new cases yesterday, bringing the active count to 104.
The state recorded 34,808 new cases (17,190 rapid tests, 17,618 PCR), with 818 people in hospital.
Residential aged care workers must receive their third dose by March 1 and healthcare workers by March 29.
All other industries under the mandate will have until March 12.
“All of these groups are already covered by existing mandates for those first two vaccinations,” Mr Foley said.
“This is a sensible addition for the relatively high-risk nature that these sectors operate.”
Manufacturing, warehouse and transport staff working in food distribution will be required to get the booster but retail supermarket staff will not.
In a bid to stop supply shortages, workers involving in the manufacturing, packaging and distribution of food will be able to be exempt from close contact isolation rules.
This can only be done if it is necessary to keep the supply chain running and no other options are available.
If a worker is a close contact, they must be asymptomatic and take rapid tests for five days and return a negative result.
They must also be have breaks in solo areas rather than sharing lunch rooms.
Masks must be worn and both the employee and their employer must agree to their return.
Mr Foley also announced additional restrictions.
From Wednesday, indoor dance floors will be temporarily banned.
Victorians will still be recommended to work from home but no binding order enforcing this has been made.
Changes will also be made to hospital and aged care.
Visitors at aged care centres must have a negative rapid test result before entering.
If no rapid tests are available, the resident may only have two visitors that day, down from five.
Visitors in hospitals must have received two doses of a COVID vaccine or returned a negative rapid test before entering.
Unvaccinated adult visitors must wear a N95 mask during their visit.
Meanwhile, fully vaccinated international arrivals no longer need to get a day seven test.
There are 161,065 active cases across the state.
Children aged five to 11 will be able to receive their first vaccination from Thursday at the vaccination clinic at Tristar Medical Centre in Swan Hill.
Bookings are required and can be made by calling 5033 9960 or 0429 121 126.
