Aged care workers do not need to disclose if they've received a COVID-19 vaccination despite a new requirement for mandatory reporting of jab numbers by providers.
Under current Health Department guidelines "it is voluntary for workers to be vaccinated and to disclose if they have received a COVID-19 vaccination".
"For all aged care workers in in-home and community aged care, and in residential aged care, it remains voluntary for workers to be vaccinated and to disclose if they have received a COVID-19 vaccination," the guidance states.
From June 15, it will be mandatory for aged care providers to report vaccination numbers to the federal government on a weekly basis.
"Whilst facilities are required to report, it remains voluntary for workers to be vaccinated and to disclose if they have received a COVID-19 vaccination," Health Minister Greg Hunt said in a statement on Friday.
"The choice to get vaccinated and to disclose this information is voluntary but we do hope the workforce gets behind this important initiative. They will be protecting themselves, their families and the people they care for."
Mr Hunt's office has been contacted for comment as to if this raises concerns about data reliability.
National Cabinet on Friday asked the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee to provide advice on the mandating of aged care and disability workforce COVID vaccinations as soon as possible.
Weekly data will be recorded through an online reporting tool that records de-identified data on the total number of aged care workers who have received their first or second dose.
A number of states scrambled to prioritise aged care vaccinations after the Victorian outbreak raised concern about the rollout speed.
"Not all of our workers who were supposed to be vaccinated already by the Commonwealth in the 1A group have been done. We're not going to wait any longer," Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said on Wednesday.
The Victorian government announced on Tuesday it would prioritise COVID vaccinations for workers in private facilities.
