Queensland's vulnerable residents want vaccine mandated for carers providing in-home support

Some residents have expressed concern that vaccination is not mandatory for community workers. (AAP: Albert Perez)

Gold Coast residents say they are concerned community support workers who provide in-home care are not yet required to be vaccinated.

Some support staff are working at 20 different homes each week and have close contact with elderly and immunocompromised residents.

Burleigh resident Sue said she was shocked when her regular Anglicare support worker revealed she was unvaccinated.  

"It just concerns me," Sue said. 

"It just makes me a little bit uneasy," she said.

Carers working in multiple homes

Sue has an Anglicare support worker visit her home once a fortnight to help with cleaning services because of a health condition.

She said her carer works at multiple homes across the Gold Coast.

"She has four a day, so before she comes to me, she's been in two other homes, and then another one after me," she said.

Vaccine a 'personal choice' for staff

Nearly 57 per cent of eligible Queenslanders are fully vaccinated. (ABC News: Darryl Torpy)

In a statement, Anglicare Southern Queensland said it is a strong advocate for vaccination and was actively encouraging staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We are always happy to work with our clients to schedule suitable times when vaccinated workers can provide their regular services."

Anglicare Southern Queensland said it was committed to following all public health directives.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced Queensland's COVID vaccine plan yesterday, as the state looks to ease travel-based restrictions once "high vaccination rates" are attained.

State or Commonwealth responsibility?

Yvette D'Ath said mandating vaccines was the role of the federal government. (ABC News: Alice Pavlovic)

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said it was an issue for the federal government.

"It is the responsibility of the Commonwealth in relation to primary and allied health care to the community and any mandating of vaccinations," Ms D'Ath said.

Recycling the waste COVID-19 has created (Emilia Terzon)

"They've got the powers to legislate work arrangements, not the states." 

The federal Department of Health said the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee is considering mandating COVID-19 vaccination nationally for in-home and community aged care workers and is expected to make an announcement soon.

"This is consistent with how the residential aged care mandatory vaccination program was implemented," a spokesperson said.

The department said many states and territories have already done this including Victoria, New South Wales and Northern Territory.