ABC News reports(June 9):
The Northern Territory will scrap its strict vaccine mandate for workers later this month, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has confirmed.
Prior to today’s announcement, people in the Northern Territory who worked in a wide range of industries — including teachers, hospitality workers and beauticians — needed all three COVID-19 vaccines to be allowed to continue with their employment.
Ms Fyles said, “We will end the public health emergency; the vaccine mandate will also end. From June 16th, we will transition from a state of public health emergency to living with COVID as it becomes endemic in the community.”
Ms Fyles said although the government mandate would lift, individual workplaces could make their own policies regarding vaccination requirements.
Ms Fyles said workplaces could also decide whether to welcome back staff who had lost their jobs after failing to comply with the mandate.
The Marrara Vaccination Centre will close at the end of the month along with the Howard Springs Quarantine Facility.
Ms Fyles said 52 Territorians had died with coronavirus since the start of the pandemic.
This figure includes the COVID-related death of a man in his 80s, reported by NT health authorities this morning.
The man, who was from Darwin and had underlying health conditions, died at Royal Darwin Hospital.
