$6660 fine for not reporting vaccination
Amid concerns over the Covid vaccine roll-out, the Federal Government has mandated that from 1 March, all vaccine providers will be required to report influenza vaccinations to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) and report all other National Immunisation Program vaccinations from 1 July on pain of a $6660 fine for failing to do so.
Comment on the new provisions suggest general support for the need to register, but opposition to the draconian fine for not doing so, with one GP describing the fine as “unbelievable”.
Before the Australian Immunisation Register Amendment (Reporting) Bill 2020 there was only a discretionary duty to report any vaccinations administered.
Health Minister Greg Hunt has said that fines will be a last resort. Rather the department will try to find out why there are gaps in reporting.
It’s not clear to me why a private flu shot given at a workplace, paid for entirely by the workplace, with no involvement of Medicare or PBS should be mandatorily reported. I also see no commentary on whether patients may refuse to have the information uploaded. If so – perhaps a tick box on the consent form saying “I do not consent to my personal information being uploaded to the government for them to use as they choose” could be added!