Australia to scrap five-day COVID-19 isolation

STORY: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday announced Australians will soon no longer be required by law to stay at home for five days, if they get COVID-19.

“We have agreed today that we will end, states and territories will end their respective mandatory isolation requirements on the 14th of October.”

The move, letting those who’re infected choose if they want to quarantine or not, removes one of Australia’s last remaining restrictions from the pandemic era.

Nearly 97% of Australians 16 or older, have had at least two coronavirus vaccine shots.

Chief medical officer, Paul Kelly:

“It recognises that we are in a very low transmission community transmission phase of the pandemic here in Australia. It's time to move away from COVID exceptionalism, in my view.”

But Australian doctors warn ending mandatory quarantine puts the public at risk.

Speaking on national broadcaster ABC, microbiologist Brendan Crabb said the decision was “illogical and uninformed” and found it distressing.

Australian Medical Association President Steve Robson said he thought people who are pushing for the isolation periods to be cut are not scientifically literate.

Once a champion of COVID-suppression, Australia has shifted away from its fortress-style controls and began living with the virus since early this year.

The government will also axe pandemic leave payments for casual workers by mid-October.

The prime minister says it “isn’t sustainable for government to pay people’s wages forever.”