The State Government has announced changes to rules about masks, isolation and vaccination requirements in Victoria, to start on Saturday.
Masks must still be worn on public transport, taxis, ride shares, and planes – but will no longer be required at airports.
Masks are also still required in sensitive settings such as hospitals and care facilities.
Positive cases must still isolate for seven days from the day they took their test, but will be able to leave home to drive a household member directly to or from education or work – but they must not leave their vehicle.
People with COVID can also leave home to get medical care, a COVID-19 test, or in an emergency, including the risk of harm.
People who interact with a vulnerable person will still require three COVID-19 vaccine doses. This includes residential aged care and disability care, healthcare, and custodial and emergency services, including police.
Government-imposed third dose mandates in education, food distribution, meat and seafood processing and quarantine accommodation sectors will be lifted.
In line with other jurisdictions across Australia, vaccination policies will be the responsibility of individual workplaces.
Rules requiring general workers to work from home, unless they are double-vaccinated are lifted. Employers will still be able to set their own workplace conditions.
Visitor caps to care facilities, including residential aged care and disability are removed, with residents able to see any number of people as long as they test negative on a rapid antigen test that day. If a test is unavailable, a person can only be present for limited reasons such as end-of-life visits. Centres may introduce their own visitor rules to respond to local risk.
The update to pandemic orders was made after consultation with the acting chief health officer and consideration of their advice.
The Minister’s statement of reasons and the acting chief health officer advice will be published on the Department of Health’s website within seven days of the orders coming into effect.
“These orders mean we can keep in place sensible settings to reduce case numbers and hospitalisations through winter, when the risk of transmission is highest, while allowing Victorians to live safely with COVID-19,” Health Minister Martin Foley said.
“Modest changes to our public health measures will keep Victorians protected as we continue to safely lift mandates and support businesses and individuals to begin to manage their own COVID-19 risk.”
Kilmore District Health has announced it will close its vaccination clinic on Thursday.
After 18 months in operation, providing more than 34,000 COVID-19 vaccinations, the clinic will operates 2pm to 8.30pm until Thursday
Online bookings have closed, and there will be imited supply available for walk-in patients.
