Implementation planning is currently underway, in consultation with health and safety representatives. A key component of the planning has been a staff and student survey, the results of which have provided some important insights into vaccination status and attitudes towards mandatory vaccination.
A total of 4,611 staff and students participated in the anonymous survey. Close to half of all staff elected to participate (approximately 46 per cent).
Key findings:
- 94.5 per cent of the 1,792 responding staff are fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, booked or planning to be vaccinated
- 89.5 per cent of the 2,819 responding students are fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, booked or planning to be vaccinated
- By far the majority of all respondents agree or strongly agree they will feel more comfortable coming back to campus if they are vaccinated (86.7 per cent for staff and 77.1 per cent for students) and if others are also vaccinated (85.6 per cent for staff and 76.6 per cent for students)
- A very small minority of survey respondents said they did not intend to get vaccinated (4.9 per cent) or remain undecided (2.8 per cent)
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor John Dewar AO thanked staff and students for participating in the survey and said that the findings would help inform how the University would safely reopen its campuses.
“Significant participation in our vaccination survey, with an overwhelming majority of respondents already vaccinated or intending to be, and majority support for a vaccine mandate, is a really positive sign that most of our community want to get back to the vibrant campuses that we love and have missed so much,” Professor Dewar said.
“We will review the survey results in detail to see what suggestions respondents have made around any additional measures the University could take to support vaccination in addition to the those already in place, such as paid vaccination leave.
“I continue to encourage everyone in our La Trobe community who isn’t yet vaccinated to get their jab as soon as they can, so that we can enjoy campus life again.”
Media Contact: Claire Bowers – c.bowers@latrobe.edu.au 0437279903
