Australia ends mandatory Covid isolation

Australians who test positive to Covid-19 will no longer have to isolate, with mandatory stay-at-home orders officially scrapped.

Sydney Opera House in Australia. (Source: Getty)

The changes took effect today.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, who led the campaign to ditch isolation rules, believes people will continue to register virus diagnoses.

“We’re moving to a system of good faith where people are looking out for each other and caring for each other,” he told reporters.

“I just want to make the point … people should still test.

“We may have further waves of Covid in the future, in fact, we probably expect that. So by testing, you’re looking after yourself, looking after your family.”

Australia would move to a workplace health and safety regime, with the decision made off the back of lower case numbers, South Australian Health Minister Chris Picton said.

“However, the message is still the same in making sure you’re staying home if you’re sick and being very conscious of people who are vulnerable in our communities,” he said.

The state’s chief health officer said she had no doubt the community would be able to take individual responsibility.

“There’s been such a fantastic response throughout the pandemic with people following health advice,” Professor Nicola Spurrier said.

“Quite often we didn’t have things as legal directions and people still did them. I am very confident that will continue over the next month.”

The Australian Medical Association wants the government consider bringing back Covid isolation requirements if cases spike during holidays.

President Steve Robson said information from the northern hemisphere showed newer variants wouldn’t be affected by immunity from previous infection or from vaccinations.

Australia recorded 36,790 Covid cases and more than 270 deaths last week.

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