Home and Away star Sam Frost has backflipped on her previous anti-vax stance, revealing she will get vaccinated against Covid-19 but not until after Channel Seven's 'no jab, no job' deadline.
The actress, 32, said on Tuesday her character Jasmine Delaney was being 'written out temporarily' because she won't be fully vaccinated until late February.
Seven Productions had announced on Friday it would be implementing a vaccine mandate for 'all presenters, cast and crew' from January 10.
Because Sam won't be allowed on set for the six to seven weeks from when the mandate starts until she's double vaxxed, her character will be 'going on an off-screen adventure'.
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Change of heart: Home and Away star Sam Frost has backflipped on her previous anti-vax stance, revealing she will get vaccinated against Covid-19 - but not until after Channel Seven's 'no jab, no job' deadline
The former Bachelorette explained she wasn't able to get the jab sooner because of an unspecified 'medical procedure booked in for January'.
She also insisted she wasn't leaving the soap permanently and that she had the full support of network executives.
When she does get the shot, Sam may well receive the Novavax vaccine, which was recently submitted to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for provisional approval.
Temporary exit: The actress, 32, said on Tuesday her character Jasmine Delaney was being 'written out temporarily' because she won't be full vaccinated until late February. Pictured on Home and Away with co-star Jake Ryan, who plays Robbo
If successful, it will be the fourth approved jab in Australia, after AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna.
Many vaccine hesitant Australians who are suspicious of mRNA and vector technology are holding out for the protein-based Novavax because it relies on older 'tried and true' immunisation methods.
It's unclear if Sam falls into this category; however, she previously said she didn't want the vaccine for unspecified medical reasons.
Mandate: Seven Productions had announced on Friday it would be implementing a vaccine mandate for 'all presenters, cast and crew' from January 10. Because Sam won't be allowed on set for the six to seven weeks from when the mandate starts until she's double vaxxed, her character will be 'going on an off-screen adventure'
'I'm not leaving Home and Away. I've got a medical procedure booked in for January, so I won't be fully vaxxed until mid to late February,' she wrote on Instagram Stories.
'I will be written out temporarily. Jazzy is going on an off-screen adventure for a few weeks, but I'll be back.'
She added: 'My bosses are amazing; we've been in open communication for months. [I'm] very grateful we were able to make a plan that works for everyone.'
Statement: 'I'm not leaving Home and Away. I have a medical procedure booked in for January, so I won't be fully vaxxed until mid to late February,' she wrote on Instagram. 'I will be written out temporarily. Jazzy is going on an off-screen adventure for a few weeks, but I'll be back'
It comes after the Director of Production at Seven West Media, Andrew Backwell, sent an email to staff on Friday informing them the network 'will only engage fully vaccinated presenters, cast and crew'.
Staff at Seven Productions, which includes Home and Away, will need to be double vaccinated from January 10 to continue work.
A Seven spokesperson said: 'To provide the safest possible work environment for cast, crew and presenters, Seven Productions have made the decision to only engage those who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, taking effect in January next year.
'Seven strongly encourages vaccination to protect our people, their colleagues and their families.'
Excuse: Sam explained she wasn't able to get the jab sooner because of an unspecified 'medical procedure booked in for January'
Sam had deactivated
