• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Policy
• Section 5 - Procedure
• COVID-19 vaccination requirements
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination status
• Exemption from vaccination requirements
• Responsibilities
• Escalation Process
• Privacy
• Section 6 - Definitions

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) This Procedure is effective from 17 March 2022.

Section 2 - Purpose

(2) This Procedure outlines Deakin’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements as part of the University's commitment to providing a safe on-campus learning and working environment and protecting the health and safety of all University students, staff, contractors and visitors who attend Deakin campuses or locations.

Section 3 - Scope

(3) This Procedure applies to students, staff, contractors, and visitors, over 18 years of age, attending campus. It also applies to staff attending third party or public settings to undertake University activities. Where activities are undertaken off campus, students and staff are also required to comply with any other directions or requirements in place at the third-party location. This Procedure applies in relation to the following vaccines: COVID-19 vaccines.

Section 4 - Policy

(4) This Procedure is pursuant to the Health, Wellbeing and Safety policy.

Section 5 - Procedure

COVID-19 vaccination requirements

(5) To protect the health and safety of all Deakin students, staff, contractors and visitors, Deakin is committed to providing a work and study environment with the highest vaccination rates possible. This means it is a requirement that:

1. all students, staff, contractors or visitors attending a Deakin campus or other Deakin study or work location, or staff working on behalf of Deakin at a location outside of their home, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with an approved vaccine or have a valid Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) or University approved exemption
2. the University and all students, staff, contractors and visitors comply with any public health directions issued by the Victorian Government.

(6) The University recommends that vaccination be undertaken on the advice of an accredited health practitioner (including health practitioners at any authorised COVID-19 vaccination centre).

(7) Vaccination requirements set out under this Procedure do not apply to Deakin students who do not attend a Deakin campus or other Deakin study location excepting that:

1. students are required to comply with other directions or requirements in place at the third-party location including any applicable requirements of the Student Placement procedure.  

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination status

(8) Students and staff must submit evidence of full vaccination or valid exemption via the online Vaccination Status Form prior to attending a Deakin campus or other Deakin work or study location. The University will accept the following as evidence:

1. COVID-19 Digital Certificate       
2. Immunisation History Statement
3. Digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate delivered by the Service Victoria app.
4. Foreign vaccination certificates accepted by the Australian Government
5. For ATAGI approved exemptions; Digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate or an Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) immunisation medical exemption form.

(9) Once they have submitted evidence, students and staff will receive a communication from the University following verification of their vaccination or exemption evidence.

(10) When contracted workers arrive on campus and sign in, they must acknowledge adherence to a list of COVIDSafe conditions including compliant vaccination.

(11) The University may request verification of vaccination status. Any students, staff, contractors or visitor on a Deakin campus or other Deakin study or work location must be able to demonstrate full vaccination evidence or Service Victoria check-in status to an authorised person.

(12) Individuals who cannot provide evidence of vaccination or a valid exemption as required by this Procedure cannot attend a Deakin campus or other Deakin study or work location and may be requested to leave the premises.

Exemption from vaccination requirements

(13) Exemptions to Deakin’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements will be granted in limited circumstances. These include where a person:

1. has a valid Direction exemption
2. is unable to be vaccinated because of a medical contraindication as determined by ATAGI clinical guidance
3. is not eligible to be vaccinated in Victoria at the time they attend on-campus, including on the basis of age
4. attends on-campus for the sole purpose of attending a Deakin Medical Centre or a place of worship
5. is participating in community sport
6. is required to attend on-campus to respond to an emergency
7. is attending campus for the purposes of engaging in clinical research trials where an exemption has been granted for the purposes of the trial
8. is required to perform urgent and essential work on-campus to protect the health and safety of workers or members of the public or to protect assets and infrastructure.

(14) Other activities not listed above may be exempted on a case-by-case basis. Requests wil be considered by the Director, Health and Safety as relevant depending on the request.

(15) All requirements outlined in Deakin’s COVIDSafe Plan and other local activity plans must be met for any exemption made under this Procedure to be valid.

Responsibilities

(16) The Director, Health and Safety is responsible for:

1. providing students, staff, contractors and visitors with information on their responsibilities under this Procedure;
2. the University COVIDSafe plan.

(17) Students, staff, contractors and visitors are responsible for ensuring that they comply with this Procedure.

Escalation Process

(18) Instances of repeated non-compliance with this Procedure will be reported in accordance with the Compliance Management policy and may lead to disciplinary action in accordance with the University’s Code of Conduct,  Staff Discipline policy, Student Code of Conduct or Student Misconduct procedure.

(19) The University has no tolerance for operations, activities, practices or behaviours that jeopardise a safe working environment where students, staff and visitors are protected from physical or psychological harm. The Health, Wellbeing and Safety policy sets out the University’s approach to providing a learning and working environment that promotes health, wellbeing and safety.

Privacy

(20) The University respects the privacy of its students, staff, contractors and visitors  and will ensure that vaccination information is managed in accordance with the Vaccination Privacy Statement and the Privacy policy.

Section 6 - Definitions

(21) For the purpose of this Procedure:

1. Approved Vaccine means any COVID-19 vaccination that has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) or a comparable overseas regulator as determined by the TGA for use in Australia.
2. Authorised person means a person who has authority to verify COVID-19 vaccination status and may include a Security Officer, COVID-Marshall or Manager.
3. Community sport means competitions and training for the purpose of competition overseen by a state sporting association or equivalent governing body, such as country football and netball competitions overseen by AFL Victoria and Netball Victoria. 
4. COVIDSafe conditions or measures means the protocols outlined in Deakin’s COVIDSafe Plan which are designed to prevent the spread of the virus in University locations.
5. Deakin campus or other Deakin work or study location means any land forming a University campus or otherwise used or occupied by the University for the purposes of undertaking education, research or other University activities. Examples include:
   1. Melbourne Burwood Campus
   2. Geelong Waterfront Campus
   3. Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus
   4. Warrnambool Campus
   5. Learning centres
   6. Corporate centres
   7. Where a staff member performs work on behalf of Deakin at a location other than their home
   8. Where a student is undertaking a Deakin Abroad or similar overseas study program as part of their Deakin course.
6. Direction Exemption means an exemption from the requirement to be vaccinated in accordance with a Direction/Order and includes a Medical Exemption. Direction/Order Exemptions are specified by the Victorian Government from time to time and are set out in the relevant public health orders.
7. Direction or Order means any applicable public health direction issued by the State or Federal Government.
8. Fully vaccinated means a person is fully vaccinated if they have received all required doses of a vaccination, as determined by the Government, including any required booster doses in accordance with the required timeframes.
9. Medical Exemption means an exemption from the requirement to be vaccinated because of a medical contraindication as determined by ATAGI (Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation) clinical guidance.
10. Place of Worship means a venue such as a prayer room, church, synagogue, mosque, temple. 
11. Public health directions means directions or orders issued by the Victorian Government.
12. University Exemption means an exemption from the requirement to be vaccinated granted by the University and includes a Medical Exemption.
13. Visitor means any other person including guests, honoraries, alumni, event attendees, spectators, volunteers and members of the public who attend on-campus.