Northern Tasmanian hospitality, tourism workers eligible for COVID-19 vaccine

It comes after a industry-specific vaccine clinic for hospitality and tourism was announced for Hobart earlier this week.

Stillwater co-owner Bianca Welsh said she had already passed the vaccination program details on to her team and was thrilled that the government was recognising her industry.

"We're not health workers but we are dealing with a lot of customers on a daily basis so I think it's really good that hospitality and tourism is being prioritised. It's so important for our economy in Tasmania," she said.

For two sectors that have been so debilitated by lockdowns and border closures, the roll out is set to vaccinate thousounds of workers ahead of a promising summer season.

Tasmanian Hospitality Association chief executive Steve Old advocated for the program and is pleased that Launceston will be operating its own clinic after positive reception from Hobart-based workers.

"Industry-specific vaccination clinics are really important in protecting our operators and staff, and the venue itself," he said.

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Tasmania is the first state or territory to implement a vaccination program for hospitality and tourism workers amid calls for the scheme to go national.

"Tassie is so far ahead of the pack in terms of prioritising hospitality workers for the vaccine," said Australian Hotels Association chief executive Stephen Ferguson.

"No other state or territory or the Commonwealth has placed such a high priority on protecting workers dealing face to face with customers. In fact, most have rejected the concept. Tassie is dead set leading the rest of the country."

Mr Old also believes that the scheme should be rolled out nationally to protect all hospitality and tourism workers as their industry recovers from the effects of the pandemic.

"We'd like to see the Premier take this approach to national cabinet and prompt other states to protect their hospitality workers and venues, who have been so detrimentally impacted by outbreaks," Mr Old said.

"Hospitality and tourism need to be priority sectors right around the country."

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