Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured) has introduced tough new Covid-19 restrictions have come into force in Victoria today, as the state records 37,169 new cases and 25 deaths
Daniel Andrews has introduced tough new Covid restrictions in Victoria – but at the same time has released tens of thousands of critical workers from isolation rules.
The state recorded 37,169 new cases and 25 deaths on Thursday, with hospitalisations at a record high of 953, a slight increase from the 946 a day ago. Some 111 people are in intensive care after contracting the virus.
From midnight, Mr Andrews announced a series of changes to Covid restrictions which were labelled a ‘soft lockdown’ by the Opposition.
The new restrictions will see indoor dance-floors at hospitality and entertainment venues will be closed – except for weddings.
Hospital visitors will be barred from entry without being vaccinated or returning negative rapid antigen test results, with unvaccinated visitors ordered to wear N95 masks.
Aged care residents will be barred from having any more than five visits per day, with all visitors required to return negative RAT results.
Meanwhile, Mr Andrews announced workers in emergency services, education, critical utilities, transport and freight will join the food sector in being made exempt from close contact isolation requirements.
‘They will be exempt if they are playing a critical role, they will be exempt from having to do home isolation,’ he said.
Workers in emergency services, education, critical utilities, transport and freight will join the food sector in being exempt from isolation requirements (pictured, a traffic controller)
new restrictions will see indoor dance-floors at hospitality and entertainment venues will be closed – except for weddings (pictured, patrons at a bar in Melbourne)
Amid a national supply chain crisis causing empty shelves at supermarkets, Mr Andrews had earlier this week eased rules for grocery store workers and essential employees involved in the manufacture, distribution or packaging of food.
The workers will no longer need to isolate if they are designated as a close contact as long as they are asymptomatic, undertake daily rapid antigen tests for five days and return negative results.
The exemption already applies to disability, health and aged care workers, as well as those working in emergency services, corrections, quarantine and food distribution.
In order to be eligible, workers must tell their employer they are a close contact with both parties required to consent to the worker returning to the workplace.
Workers must return a negative rapid antigen test for five consecutive days and return a negative result prior to attending work each day.
A face mask must be worn at all times – preferably a N95 mask – with meal breaks to be separated, with no mingling in the wider workforce or car-pooling arrangements.
The exemption from close contact isolation already applies to disability, health and aged care workers, and those in emergency services, corrections, quarantine and food distribution
The exemption already applies to disability, health and aged care workers, as well as those working in emergency services, corrections, quarantine and food distribution (pictured, health workers in Melbourne)
If at any time the worker develops symptoms or tests positive on a RAT, the exemption no longer applies.
The employee is then considered a confirmed Covid case and must isolate for 7 days and notify others including their employer.
Opposition MP James Newbury labelled the rules a ‘soft lockdown’ tweeting: ‘Daniel Andrews has put Victoria into soft lockdown – encouraging isolation of critical workers who are not sick and discouraging people from social events’.
However, several Victorians defended the premier and said they welcomed the ‘reasonable’ rules as case numbers continued to explode across the state.
‘Heaps of healthcare workers have been doing this for ages,’ one user said.
‘Making sensible decisions in the biggest part of the pandemic we’ve seen to keep everyone around you safe is not controversial.’
Severa Victorians said they welcomed the ‘reasonable’ rules as case numbers continued to rise while the Opposition labelled the rules ‘a soft lockdown’ (pictured, commuters in Melbourne)