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Australia SCRAPS mandatory Covid isolation rules except for hospital and elderly care workers
- National Cabinet has reportedly agreed to scrap mandatory Covid-19 isolation rules
- Mandate remains in effect for retirement homes and health workers
- Change comes after Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet pushes for rules to be scrapped
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Australia’s national cabinet has reportedly agreed to scrap mandatory Covid isolation rules.
The Nine Network reported that the mandate will remain in effect for aged care and hospital staff, but will otherwise not apply to Covid patients from October 14. More details are expected soon.
It follows a push from NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet to abolish the long-standing rules.
Australia’s National Cabinet has reportedly agreed to scrap mandatory Covid isolation rules
The Nine Network reported that the mandate remains in effect for elderly care and hospital staff, but otherwise does not apply to Covid patients (pictured, National Cabinet meeting on Friday)
Currently, Australians in all states and territories are required to isolate for five days if they test positive for Covid-19.
“We have to get to a point where when you’re sick you stay at home and when you’re healthy you go out and enjoy life and that’s where we have to go as a country,” Perrottet said.
“We also need to be in a position where people take care of each other, that we take care of each other and make sure that if you are sick you stay at home without there being a public health measure.”
Australian Medical Association president Dr Steve Robson warned against the move on ABC News Breakfast.
dr. Robson said, “I think people who are pushing for the isolation periods to be abolished are not scientifically literate and put the public at risk and they need to understand that.”
“We are seeing another huge increase in the number of COVID cases. It comes in the holiday season when people would travel around the world.
The Nine Network reported that the mandate remains in effect for aged care and hospital staff, but otherwise does not apply to Covid patients
“It is a period of significant risk and we urge caution as we need to protect the health system.”
Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews said COVID should be normalized as a virus and treated like any other respiratory disease.
Meanwhile, ACT chief minister Andrew Barr said that while cases were falling, caution was advised.
“Right now there is a period of low cases, low hospitalizations, low levels of community transmission, it’s unlikely it will be a better time than now going into the summer,” he told reporters.
“But you also have to consider what may come.”