Explained Australia to end mandatory COVID-19 isolation periods on October 14
Australians who test positive to COVID-19 will no longer be forced to isolate for five days as the government works to remove almost all pandemic-related restrictions.
Following a meeting of national cabinet today, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said 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.
When will Australia’s COVID-19 isolation period end?
October 14.
From this date, every state and territory will end its public mandate for five days of isolation for people who test positive to COVID-19.
There is an exception for those who work in high-risk settings such as health and aged care.
Those employees will still need to isolate.
Does this mean people can go to work, school while positive with COVID-19?
It means people will no longer be mandated by law to stay at home for five days if they test positive to the virus.
Theoretically it means that people could attend work and school, unless they are in a high-risk setting such as health and aged care.
However, much like having the flu, it is still advised for workers not to attend work if they’re sick.
What about the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment for people who test positive?
That will also end on October 14.
However there will still be some “targeted financial support” for casual workers, on the same basis as the current payment, and for workers in aged care, disability care, Indigenous healthcare and hospital care sectors.
Does this mean COVID-19 is becoming less infectious?
No.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly said COVID-19 is no less infectious.
Despite this, he said it’s time to end “COVID exceptionalism” – that is, treating COVID-19 as a viral respiratory disease that is somehow greater or more impactful than others, such as influenza.
“We will almost certainly see future peaks of the virus into the future, as we have seen earlier in this year,” he said.
“However, at the moment, we have very low rates of both cases, hospitalisations, intensive care admissions, aged-care outbreaks and various other measures.”
Could mandatory COVID-19 isolation periods return?
Yes.
The government has left the door open to reinstating mandatory isolation periods if Australia sees an unprecedented number of hospitalisations.
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