Australia’s Covid-19 rules are set to get a major update before winter, with the National Cabinet considering the insulation requirements to relax close contacts.
Two weeks ago, the National Cabinet asked the national expert panel on health, the AHPPC, to provide urgent advice on how states can maintain quarantine for close contacts.
If the AHPPC agrees with the plan, close contact with mild symptoms is encouraged to voluntarily self-isolate while symptomatic.
Currently, household close contacts have to isolate themselves for seven days from the last time they were in contact with the person with Covid-19.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the change was part of the ‘life with the virus’, while recognizing the winter would be a challenge as Australians tackled Covid and the flu.
Australia’s Covid-19 rules are set to get a major update before winter, with the National Cabinet considering isolation rules to relax close contacts (pictured, residents enjoying a night out and lockdown-free Melbourne)
If the AHPPC agrees with the plan, close contact with mild symptoms is encouraged to voluntarily self-isolate while symptomatic (photo, nurse doing PCR test at drive-thru in Bondi)
“Now that we are living with the virus, it means we are living with everything again,” he said.
Mr Morrison said Australia would be ‘quite a lot’ in Phase D of the national transition strategy, including addressing the Community outbreak without widespread losses.
Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews said he had had some discussions with NSW Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet about what the changes would mean for case numbers.
‘Logic tells you it’s worth driving [up] the number of cases. It’s about balance: how many extra cases can we have before it affects the number of people who come to the hospital, ‘said Mr Andrews.
‘We really like to go down that path, but we have to do it with a real understanding [of cases]. ‘
On Friday, Australian Chief Health Officer Paul Kelly said a decision on the isolation periods would be finalized in the coming weeks.
Mr Andrews warned that the winter months, along with the new BA.2 sub-variant – must be weighed when it comes to lifting restrictions.
“We are very excited to try to have the smallest number of rules, the least intrusive we can possibly have, but at the same time, we need to focus on keeping people safe,” he said.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Greg Hunt is optimistic about the future of the pandemic in Australia, saying the country’s response has exceeded expectations.
The nation on Sunday recorded seven virus deaths and more than 40,400 new cases, while nearly 2,100 patients were in the hospital with 102 in intensive care and 21 in ventilation, according to state and territory figures.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the change was part of the ‘life with the virus’, while acknowledging the winter challenge as Australians tackled COVID-19 and the flu
Mr Morrison said Australia would be ‘quite a lot’ in phase D of the national transition strategy, including addressing the community outbreak without widespread losses (pictured, Melbourne residents wearing glasses in a pub)
Mr Hunt, who is stepping down in the forthcoming federal election, believes Australia remains in an enviable position worldwide.
“We are a stronger and better country than many recognize,” he told Sky News on Sunday.
‘The resilience of Australians, the fact that we have one of the lowest rates of loss of life in the world, one of the highest vaccination rates.’
Mr Hunt said the federal government, the general population and thousands of nurses, doctors, pathologists and health care workers had helped the country recover from Covid-19.
He said his only regret about the pandemic was not spending more time with his family.
“I’ve never been as good a father as I would like to be,” Mr Hunt said.
‘You try to be present, but even if you are there in person, you may not be very present because of the demands of the role, that’s what you sign up for.
“But that said, I leave optimistically about Australia.”
His comments come after the COVID-19 outbreak intensified ambulance ramps at hospitals, particularly in NSW, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland.
Mr Hunt said the federal government, the general population and thousands of nurses, doctors, pathologists and health care workers had helped the country recover from Covid-19 (Photo, Sydneysiders Shopping in the CBD)
Paramedics plan industrial action against the NSW government on Monday by refusing to leave their posts to fill gaps at other ambulance stations.
The 24-hour action on Monday is part of ongoing union efforts to improve emergency response staff and pay.
“We are taking action to demand a better resource service. We want a fairer workplace for paramedics, and improved coverage and care for our communities,” Australian Paramedics Association NSW President Chris Kastelan said in a statement on Sunday.
The union is pushing for an additional 1,500 paramedics, who say they are needed to deal with deteriorating ambulance response times across the state.
It also wants a pandemic payment, and a wage increase of more than 2.5 percent.
Meanwhile in South Australia, a new Labor government has been partially elected after pledging to reduce ramp times.
Prime Minister Peter Malinaukas will soon meet with senior health officials and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens to discuss state health advice after he won the election on Saturday.
Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews said he had had some discussions with NSW Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet (pictured) about what the changes to case numbers would be.
‘Logic tells you it’s worth driving [up] the number of cases. It’s about balance: how many extra cases can we have before it affects the number of people who come to the hospital, “said Mr Andrews (photo)
He also intends to amend the SA laws that impose restrictions and other measures, including mask mandates, losses and tightness limits.
“The act is not appropriate for the purpose of a two-year global pandemic,” Mr Malinaukas said.
In Victoria, the state government will subsidize and offer free TAFE courses to people looking for health care and other demanding jobs.
Mr Andrews said the pandemic highlighted the importance of more employment for the healthcare sector, as well as many people rethinking their careers.
“If you want a job that really matters, then now is the time to make a change,” he said Sunday.
The 10,000 extra TAFE places announced will cost approximately $ 61.6 million and will not be limited to health courses.
In Victoria, the state government will subsidize and offer free TAFE courses to people looking for health care and other demanding jobs (photo, rush hour at a Sydney train station)
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