“No jab, no work”: Retirement village operator makes vaccines compulsory for contractors

However, one Queensland retirement village operator has made vaccines compulsory for all contractors visiting its site.

Contractors will have to prove they have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination jab to be allowed on site at Queensland’s Elements retirement village from September 1, 2021.

As reported by Inside Ageing, the aged care provider has introduced the measure to protect the safety of staff and residents.

Elements’ Managing Director, Chiou See Anderson, told Inside Ageing the village has between 30 and 50 contractors visit every month.

COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for residential aged care workers from September 17, but staff working in retirement villages will not have the same requirement.

“While the mandate may not extend to residents like ours, it doesn’t make them any less vulnerable,” Anderson said.

Anderson said Elements’ staff have volunteered to become fully vaccinated “at the earliest possible opportunity”.

Now the provider is requesting contractors to also get the jab.

The chair of Elements Residents’ Committee, Ian Smythe, said residents support the move, especially as the highly infectious Delta strain spreads through NSW and Victoria.

Local plumber Marc Melville of Luzac Plumbing told Inside Ageing he supports the move.

“I think business owners should lead by example, get vaccinated and encourage their staff to be vaccinated. 

“The sooner we do that the sooner we can all get back to normal life.”