Western Australia will halve isolation periods for COVID-infected people and their close contacts from Tuesday amid a growing Omicron outbreak:
Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan had faced growing pressure to ease the 14-day quarantine requirement.Western Australia will halve isolation periods for COVID-infected people and their close contacts from Tuesday amid a growing Omicron outbreak.
The virus has also spread to the Pilbara mining sector, with some workers forced to spend two weeks isolating in accommodation villages.Under revised definitions, close contacts will include household members, intimate partners or anyone who has had 15 minutes of face-to-face contact or spent two hours in a room with an infectious case while unmasked.
Mr McGowan said anyone currently in self-quarantine, including about 12,000 people who arrived over the weekend under a softening of hard border rules, will be able to leave on day seven upon returning a negative test."Western Australia is about to embark on its most challenging phase of the pandemic," the premier told reporters.
He insisted on Monday he had not bowed to pressure from industry groups and the Australian Medical Association to fast-track the changes, saying the decision was based on health advice.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Queensland records 19 deaths, 4701 COVID-19 cases as check-in app scrappedJUST IN: QR code check-ins will no longer be required from today at Queensland venues where being vaccinated against COVID19 is not required for entry, including supermarkets. 9News
Read more »
NSW and Victoria record 34 new COVID-19 deaths as Australia hits vaccine milestoneBREAKING: NSW has recorded 28 more COVID-19 deaths and has 147 patients in intensive care, while Victoria reported six deaths and has 73 people in ICU.
Read more »
Australia not ready to open up borders says minister, as 43 more COVID-19 deaths recordedHome Affairs Minister Karen Andrews wants to open international borders as soon as possible, but said Australia is not at that point at the moment.
Read more »
'Increasingly clear' pattern in COVID-19 deaths as nine more people die in QueenslandThe state currently has 726 COVID-19 patients in hospital and 47 in ICU, but concerns about slow booster uptake continue.
Read more »
National news LIVE: Barnaby Joyce fallout continues; total COVID-19 cases continue to growPrime Minister Scott Morrison says he 'could not care less' what others say about him in text messages after it was revealed Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce had labelled the PM a liar and a hypocrite. Follow our live coverage AusPol
Read more »
Experts say COVID-19 is changing our brains — here's howThat feeling of malaise you might be noticing is a sign of something very particular happening in your brain.
Read more »