Telstra boss Andy Penn told The Australian today that customer-facing workers as well as those who are required to enter customers’ homes may be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Peen refers to himself as being “absolutely pro-vaccines’’, before explaining: “Ultimately, I don’t think you can force people to have a vaccine, because obviously everybody’s got their own individual health circumstances, and so that’s important that people have the opportunity to get their own health advice and understand what it means in their particular situation.

Andy Penn, Telstra.

“Having said that, there is no doubt that certain people fulfill certain roles where they come in contact with lots and lots of other people, whether they’re in stores, people like field techs, out there in the field or going into homes, and it’s and it’s really important we need to think very carefully about their safety and the safety of customers.

“I can certainly see that certain roles should require a vaccine.”

Penn acknowledged the complexity of the decision, saying Telstra was considering it “very carefully”, and “any decisions we make on that, I’ll certainly share with our people first.”