The Woolworths Group has announced that it will no longer require its employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
The Woolworths Group is one of the largest employers in Australia, with over 200,000 employees across the country. The company has been vocal in its support for the Australian government’s vaccination program, and has been offering its employees free vaccinations since early 2020.
But on Thursday, The Woolworths Group revealed that it would no longer require its employees to be vaccinated.
Unless staff had a valid reason for exemption, they were required to be vaccinated during the peak of the pandemic.
This change in policy comes after the careful consideration by the group with its team members.
Dr. Rob McCartney, the Group’s chief medical officer, appreciated the team for working relentlessly during the pandemic.
“The high vaccination rates play a crucial role in Australia’s fight against Covid. This reduces the severity of infections and delivers a return to greater freedoms. I’m very much thankful to the entire team who played an important role in shaping the company all this while,” Dr. McCartney said.
“We have reviewed whether our team vaccination requirement is still necessary in light of the high community-wide vaccination rate and the evolution of how we live with Covid.”
