Amid mass protests by construction workers, Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews is preparing to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for teachers and early-childhood educators.

Education Minister James Merlino on Wednesday announced all staff at schools and childcare services will need to have their first jab by18 October or have a booking within a week of that date.

Last week, Mr Merlino had said “a requirement for vaccination of teachers will be important to stop the spread and protect our kids.”

In NSW, such a mandate is already in effect and all school and preschool staff are required to be fully vaccinated from 8 November this year.

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NSW Minister for Education and Early Childhood Education Sarah Mitchell announced the rule earlier this month, stating that “vaccinating all staff is essential to increase safety and minimise disruption”.

“I’m pleased to see that large numbers of the teaching workforce have already come forward to be vaccinated. Vaccinating staff, along with stringent school restrictions including mask wearing, will help make schools as safe as possible when students return,” she said.

Mr Merlino today announced a $190 million dollar package for Victorian schools, which will provide thousands of air ventilators to the state’s classrooms.

51,000 air purification devices, worth $125 million, will be sent to all government schools and low fee catholic and independent schools in Victoria with the first load arriving next week.

Construction industry up in arms

Victoria’s government has shut down the construction industry for two weeks in metropolitan Melbourne, City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Mitchell Shire, causing protests to continue for the third day today.

Victoria’s Premier said the protest action was “selfish” and “there is no excuse for the terrible behaviour”

The ambulance union released a message, pleading protestors to think of others:

“The fight against COVID-19 is not in the street. For our health workers the fight is very real, very exhausting, very painful and very dangerous,’ the union said in a statement on Tuesday night.

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“You are thinking of yourself only. There has never been a more important time to match the selflessness of health workers, with your own.”

On Wednesday, Victoria recorded 628 new COVID-19 cases, the highest tally to date. There were also three deaths. On Tuesday, 227 of the 603 new cases were directly linked to 154 construction sites.