Queensland Fire and Emergency Service has ruled out enforcing COVID-19 vaccinations for its staff, months after mandates were put in place across Queensland.
A QFES spokesman said several factors were considered including pandemic measures already in place, the downward trend of active cases, Queensland Health's advice on the current and predicted future of the pandemic, workplace health and safety obligations and the ability to deliver services to the community.
The state recorded 12 more COVID-19 deaths and 6,596 new cases in the latest reporting period.
QFES's move comes as seven staff and six patients in the geriatric ward of Maryborough Hospital have tested positive to COVID-19, prompting the ward to go into lockdown and the staff to isolate.
In a statement, Wide Hospital and Health Service said the group was being medically assessed before being transferred to the hospital's COVID-19 ward.
QFES spokesperson said that, while it isn't mandatory for QFES staff and volunteers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, staff must adhere to Queensland Health guidelines and directives.
"QFES staff and volunteers are not permitted to undertake certain tasks, including international and interstate deployments or enter certain buildings — except in emergency situations — unless they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19," the spokesperson said.
"QFES' Pandemic Plans detail additional safety measures and requirements for staff and volunteers when interacting with their colleagues and the community to limit the spread of COVID-19".
The spokesperson said the decision could be revisited at any time.
Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said he would like all firefighters to be vaccinated.
"I think that's a decision for the fire service, my opinion has not been asked," he said.
"I think any professional dealing with the public should be vaccinated.
"I think mandates are appropriate in the right location, I think our settings are correct as they stand, that we have mandates in aged care services and health care settings, I think the decision for the police to mandate [them] was the right decision.
"I would like to think that firefighters are professionals like police etc. and they should go out and get vaccinated. I'm sure the majority are."
'We stayed neutral': union
Queensland's United Firefighters Union secretary John Oliver said the union had maintained a neutral position on vaccinations.
"We took a position back in October last year. We thought we wouldn't polarise our membership and we'll keep an eye on the courts," Mr Oliver said.
"The courts gave direction all the way through this, so whether we are for it or against it isn't the issue. Most courts did find that mandatory vaccinations were an employer's right and looking out for the community, that's what we followed.
"We stayed neutral and the decision was made by the commissioner not to mandate in the current circumstances."
Mr Oliver said more than 90 per cent of firefighters in the state were fully vaccinated .
"There was a cohort amongst the firies that didn't want to get vaccinated or thought it was there right to have a choice of these things.
"For the ones that weren't vaccinated, I'm sure it would be a relief. For the ones that are vaccinated, I'm sure that they understand that Omicron is — from all reports — coming to an end.
"Whether or not it is, is another issue, but decisions can probably be made further down the track if it starts raging through the community again."
Michael Cope from the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties said there were few avenues of legal recourse for anyone who got vaccinated to comply with a work mandate despite not wanting to.
"The most likely basis for a successful challenge in Queensland would be under the Human Rights Act and there's no right to compensation under that act anyway," he said.
"There's really a limited scope to challenge. Every challenge I'm aware of in Australia has failed.
He said now that the vaccination rate in Queensland sits above 90 per cent, it was time for vaccine mandates to stop.
Cases continue to rise in children
Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said there had been an increase in the number of school children testing positive, with 1,905 new cases between the ages of five and 17 in the latest reporting period, up from 1,587 yesterday.
"Schools are still managing very well. There hasn't been a need to have any classes quarantining and of course, there have been no school closures which is great news," Ms D'Ath said.
Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said there had been a "dramatic decline" in hospitalisations with 404 people with COVID-19 in public hospitals, 28 in private hospitals and 34 people in ICU.
"The numbers [in children] are not enormous, we've had larger numbers two or three weeks ago and we have not seen an increase in hospitalisations among children," he said.
"To me, the bigger concern when children get infected is the risk to their parents and their grandparents and that's why it is so critical anyone coming into contact with children get their booster."
More than 62 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have now had a booster.
Less than 50 per cent of five to 11-year-olds are fully vaccinated.
