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To isolate or not to isolate – from now on the choice is entirely yours

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

Oct 14, 2022, updated Oct 14, 2022
With the removal of isolation mandates, Australians can choose whether they should stay home or not. (File image).

With the removal of isolation mandates, Australians can choose whether they should stay home or not. (File image).

The changes took effect on Friday.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, who led the campaign to ditch isolation rules, believes people will continue to register their Covid-19 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 is set to 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 told reporters.

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,” 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 the holiday period.

President Steve Robson said information from the northern hemisphere showed the newer variants won’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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