The isolation period for Australians who catch COVID will be reduced from seven days to five under a change agreed at National Cabinet on Wednesday.
Anthony Albanese announced the new isolation rules would take effect on September 9, with masks also no longer mandatory on domestic flights from the same date.
Only people without symptoms will be allowed to leave isolation after five days, the Prime Minister said after meeting with State and Territory leaders in Sydney.
Seven days isolation remains for workers in high-risk settings such as aged or disability care and those providing care in the home.
“Clearly, if you have symptoms, we want people to stay home. We want people to act responsibly,” Mr Albanese said. “Seven days isolation will remain for workers in high-risk settings including aged care, disability care (and) home care.
“I believe, and first ministers agreed, that on the evidence, this was a proportionate response at this point in the pandemic.”
Eligibility for the $750 weekly pandemic leave disaster payment, which is paid to people forced to miss work and who don’t receive sick leave, would reflect the change to the isolation period.
National Cabinet, however, stopped short of following other countries such as the United Kingdom that have completely scrapped COVID isolation rules.
Mr Albanese said he discussed with the premiers the importance of people “being responsible” as the pandemic progresses.
“There aren’t mandated requirements for the flu or for a range of other illnesses that (people) can suffer from, and what we want to do is to make sure that government responds to the changed circumstance,” he said.
“COVID is likely to be around for a considerable period of time and we need to respond appropriately to it, based upon the weight of evidence.”
Premier Mark McGowan, who has yet to publicly express his support for the reduced isolation period, was approached for comment.
WA reported 6887 active cases on Wednesday, the fewest since March 2. There were 228 people in hospital with COVID, including six in intensive care.
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