Australians who test positive for COVID-19 will no longer be forced to self-isolate for five days as the government works to lift almost all restrictions related to the pandemic.
After a national cabinet meeting today, Premier Anthony Albanese said that from October 14 all state and territory COVID-19 isolation mandates will end.
Each state and territory will implement the change to isolation rules through specific state-based legislation. Here’s what we know about the changes.
After a national cabinet meeting today, Premier Anthony Albanese said that from October 14 all state and territory COVID-19 isolation mandates will end. (Supplied)
When will Australia’s COVID-19 isolation period end?
October 14
From this date, all states and territories will end their public mandate for five days of isolation for people who test positive for COVID-19.
There is an exception for those working in high-risk settings, such as health and aged care.
These employees will still need to self-isolate.
Does this mean people can go to work, school while they are positive with COVID-19?
It means people will no longer be required by law to stay at home for five days if they test positive for the virus.
In theory it means people could attend work and school, unless they are in a high-risk setting such as health and aged care.
However, just like having the flu, it is still recommended that workers not attend work if they are sick.
Australians will no longer be required by law to stay at home for five days if they test positive for the virus. (Brent Lewin/Bloomberg)
What about Pandemic Leave Catastrophe Pay for people who test positive?
It will also end on October 14.
However, there will still be “targeted financial support” for casual workers, on the same basis as current pay, and for workers in the aged care, disability care, Indigenous health and hospital care sectors.
Does this mean that COVID-19 is becoming less infectious?
No.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly said that COVID-19 is no less infectious.
Despite that, he said it’s time to end “the exceptionalism of COVID,” meaning treating COVID-19 as a viral respiratory disease that is somehow bigger or more impactful than others , like the flu.
“We will almost certainly see future spikes in the virus in the future, as we saw earlier this year,” he said.
“However, at the moment, we have very low rates of both cases, hospitalizations, intensive care admissions, elderly care outbreaks and various other measures.”
Could periods of mandatory isolation for COVID-19 return?
The government has left the door open to reinstating mandatory isolation periods if Australia sees an unprecedented number of hospitalizations.
The subvariants and mutations of COVID-19