With Covid-19 cases skyrocketing in Victoria, the State Government is requesting employers consider asking employees to work from home and for Victorians to mask up.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas has requested employers consider working from home arrangements that are most appropriate for their workplace and employees based on individual requirements.
“As we’re seeing across the globe and around Australia, winter means more time inside where COVID-19 and the flu can spread. It also means our nurses, ambos and doctors have never worked harder, and we can’t thank them enough,” she said.
The Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, which are now dominant along the east coast of Australia, are expected to continue to cause increases in new cases, reinfections and hospital admissions – with a 53 per cent increase in the number of Victorians in hospital with Covid-19 over the last two weeks.
This is also at a time when there’s an increase in respiratory illnesses like cold and flu which is putting additional pressure on hospitals and healthcare workers.
Victorians are advised to wear mask indoors and in crowded settings and take up their own measures such as vaccinations, with a fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine recommended for Australians aged 30 and older.
“Wearing a mask, getting up to date with your vaccinations and ensuring indoor areas are well ventilated are small but effective steps Victorians and businesses can take to manage their own COVID-19 risk this winter,” Ms Thomas said.
Changes to public health recommendations will also come into effect from 11:59pm tonight. In line with AHPPC advice, the period when someone is considered a recently confirmed case (and therefore exempt from testing and isolation/quarantine requirements) has been revised to four weeks, down from 12 weeks.
Positive cases are still required to isolate for seven days from the day they took their test but an additional reason to leave home has been added – to provide transport for a household member to obtain food, if essential.
A major campaign producing public health messaging around vaccinations, mask wearing and ventilation is being produced, sharing the State Government’s advice for Victorians to stay well this winter.
However, the government said there will not be any changes to current face mask requirements with these new pandemic orders and it’s currently only advice being offered.
Small businesses will also have access to another round of the Small Business Ventilation Grant Program.
Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has welcomed the recommendations rather than mandates for mask wearing and working from home opportunities to address the spread.
Chief Executive Paul Guerra said businesses can and will play their part, just as they have throughout the pandemic.
“We will continue to engage and work with our teams and clients to keep everyone safe and stop the spread,” he said.
“The Victorian Chamber welcomes the approach of recommendations and not mandates. This puts the decision making back on the individual and businesses. We have advocated that mandates should be avoided.
Mr Guerra said this is a common sense approach enabling people to make their own decisions.
“We would also encourage our members to support their teams to get their third or fourth COVID-19 vaccination, such as time off to attend appointments,” he said.
