Horsham venues scramble amid double-dose vaccination changes

With just hours until regional Victoria was able to ease its restrictions on Friday October 22, deputy Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie finally gave some clarity as to the rules surrounding the affected industries.

Venues who don't have all staff fully vaccinated can continue to operate, as long as all staff have at least one dose, but they cannot take the next step in the government's roadmap and cannot allow more people in their doors.

This would mean they remain limited to 10 patrons indoors and 30 outdoors.

Only venues with all staff in attendance fully-vaccinated can take the next step, which would mean opening to 30 people indoors and 100 outdoors.

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Exchange Hotel publican and Australian Hotels Association Wimmera representative Nick Murray said he was perplexed by the state government's last-minute decision.

"It is the confusion and the absolute mediocrity with how it has been handled. Up until yesterday we were following our roadmap, making sure we were at the forefront of making sure we were pushing for vaccinations, doing the right thing," he said.

"We were making preparations to extend our trade, in line with a single vaccinated now and the second jab by November 26.

"We were marching towards that quite successfully, and a day before we were set to re-open and extend our numbers we are told that is not the case and they have changed their mind.

"If it wasn't so serious it would be laughable. There are going to be a lot of businesses here that cannot open now for the next three weeks."

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Murray attended a state-wide Zoom conference with the Australian Hotels Association to clarify what the rules meant for hoteliers.

He said the industry was "fuming" and the changes - with many confused as to whether they could open on Friday.

"Tomorrow is Manikato Stakes day, Saturday is Cox Plate day, we are getting into the heart of the spring carnival. Every single one of my staff has had one vaccination and most have had two, but that is good luck rather than good management," he said.

"Through the whole process we have actually been unbelievably restrained, compliant, and at the forefront of encouraging people to do the right thing.

"When you have that thrown in your face at the last hurdle it is hands in the air, we are angry now.

"It defies sense that you can have teachers, doctors and nurses standing in front of unvaccinated people only having one jab, and I can't put someone in my kitchen to wash dishes unless everyone is 100 per cent vaccinated in the venue. It defies logic."

Horsham RSL general manager Tim Nurse said the timeframes given to the hospitality sector were challenging.

"It's been very challenging, trying to get things organised and get a venue reopened with the mandates," he said.

"There's a short time frame to try and have staff vaccinated to be able to reopen.

"We're just trying to work out which staff are vaccinated and which ones aren't to see where we sit with rostering to make it work."

However Mr Nurse said he and his team were delighted to be able to reopen, and he hoped the transition goes smoothly for the region's hospitality industry.

Horsham RSL is set to reopen on Monday October 25.

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"We're very happy to be able to reopen after a couple of months of being shut down," he said.

"And patrons need to be vaccinated as well to be able to come into the venue as well, so that might create a few little issues here and there."

"But Horsham's in a good position with its vaccination rates, the majority of people within Horsham would be vaccinated anyway."

"Hopefully it goes smoothly when the doors are open."

The Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, said confusion over the last-minute changes was detrimental to businesses.

"Business can't be expected to pivot with a moment's notice," she said.

"Businesses have now been left clambering to fill rosters and to accommodate an upset of this magnitude.

"Some businesses will be forced to close because staff will not be able to be fully vaccinated in time, meaning more weeks of heartache with no income for businesses or staff."

Ms Kealy also criticised confusion over a "double standard" the mandates set for hospitality workers.

She said the change also implied that a single-vaccinated employee would be allowed to work in a hospital, but not in a café, bar, or restaurant.

"These double standards raise serious questions as to what, if any, health advice these decisions have been based on," she said.

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Upon questioning from Australian Community Media the Department of Health and Human Services released this statement:

"Hospitality staff including cooks, waiters, and all other staff working in restaurants, pubs and cafes will need to be fully vaccinated for venues in regional Victoria to increase capacity.

"If all attendees are fully vaccinated, venues can open to 30 people indoors and 100 people outdoors with density limits.

"This will come into effect when restrictions ease from 11.59pm Thursday 21 October and will also apply to other industries where staff and patrons are mixing.

"Hospitality businesses in regional Victoria can continue to open if the vaccine status of staff and customers is unknown but will be limited to 30 people outdoors and 10 people indoors.

"Vaccines save lives and will allow us to open up in line with the roadmap."

The confirmation of new rules contradicts what the government had said earlier in the week, as well as what had been previously published in the roadmap.

Both Premier Dan Andrews and COVID Commander Jeroen Weimar had earlier this week said all hospitality staff would need to be double vaccinated for a venue to open at all as of Friday, October 22.

There was never a mention of rules for a regional venue moving to eased restrictions.

However, this also conflicted earlier messaging that said hospitality staff had until November 26 to be fully vaccinated.

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