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G’day fellow beekeepers,
It makes me sad that I write this letter, but COVID and our Government’s response to it dictate that I must.  I am sure that everyone is looking forwards to the coming freedoms afforded by the ROADMAP out of lockdown, but these staged freedoms are predicated upon the general population being 70% and 80% vaccinated before being rolled out.
During the last club meeting on ZOOM I suggested that the next meeting could be face to face, taking place in the church rooms at Leongatha.  In the hope of heading off difficulties in the future, we have been considering how we might deal with the question of vaccination.  I must state clearly that we are not a political organisation, we are a social club whose members share a common interest.  The club does not and will not have a policy on whether our members should or should not be vaccinated.  Everyone is entitled to an opinion and has the right to be vaccinated or not.
However, the State Government has made it quite clear that, under the emergency powers they currently hold, freedom comes at a cost.  Public gatherings will be allowed but access will be conditional upon being vaccinated.   The onus of enforcing the policy has been put directly onto owners and managers of venues, where allowing non vaccinated people into gatherings will lead to very large fines and criminal proceedings.
As president of the club, it is therefore my (sad) duty to make it clear to members that if they are not double vaccinated, they will be unable to attend face to face meetings at the church premises in Leongatha.
As a club we will try to use technology to keep members who are unable to attend included.  Unfortunately, it is technology that will check and store data on who attends and their vaccination status.  All attendees will have to sign in via a QR code on their mobile phone or with good, old fashioned, pen and paper.  If you sign in with a QR code, you will be able to link your app to your vaccination record and permission to enter will be automatic.  If signing in on paper, you will have to prove your vaccination status to the appointed door monitor, either by showing vaccination certificates or electronic records on your phone.
PLEASE, whether you are vaccinated or not, take the right course of action according to which ever rules apply to you.  As a club we will try to include everyone by whatever means we can and hope to keep doing so for as long as it takes to develop a ‘’COVID normal” society.
Thank you, everyone, for your support and forbearance during this transition period.
Best Wishes
Andy Teitge
President
South Gippsland Beekeepers Club
 






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South Gippsland Beekeepers Inc. · PO Box 817 · Leongatha, Vic 3953 · Australia

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