Inactive AFLW player and nurse Deni Varnhagen has lost her second bid to challenge the South Australian vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.
The Court of Appeal today dismissed an application by Ms Varnhagen, as she sought to overturn a Supreme Court decision to throw out her challenge.
Justice Judy Hughes dismissed her initial challenge because it "lacked utility" after the Emergency Management Act was revoked in May.
The vaccine mandate for healthcare workers now falls under the Public Health Act, but the directive will be dropped on November 23.
After that date, it will be up to each hospital to impose their own rules.
In their judgement, Justices Mark Livesey, Sam Doyle and Chris Bleby said the court was tasked with determining whether the last relevant emergency declaration was "apparently in force".
The judges found the wording of that part of the legislation was "unusual" but it had "no bearing on the underlying question of actual validity of the declaration".
The court heard Ms Varnhagen – who did not comment outside court — and fellow nurse Courtney Millington will have to face a hearing about legal costs next month.
Ms Varnhagen, who has been a registered nurse for seven years, was working in the intensive care unit at Flinders Medical Centre and as an anaesthetic and recovery nurse at the Glenelg Day Surgery.
In an affidavit, Ms Varnhagen told the court she was not able to make an informed decision about getting vaccinated in relation to the effectiveness or safety of the vaccines.
She made mention of her "personal circumstances as a healthy, young female of child-bearing age".
"I believe that I am being coerced into [getting vaccinated] in order to keep my employment," she said.
Ms Millington has been a registered nurse for 17 years and was working at the Women's and Children's Hospital and with Healthcare Australia.
Ms Varnhagen did not play for the Adelaide Crows this season because she was pregnant, but has indicated she will play in the future after the AFLW dropped its vaccine mandate.
She gave birth to her daughter two weeks ago.
