Road Transport (General) (COVID-19 Emergency Response) Application Order 2022 (No 1)

• Continues two of the arrangements progressed in the Road Transport (General) (COVID-19 Emergency Response) Application Order 2021 (No 1) about driver licence expiry dates, ordering that two sections of the Road Transport (Driver Licensing) Regulation 2000 are varied to extend the expiry date of learner licences for six months to ensure that members of the community are not disadvantaged at this time due to the impact of the current health emergency on Government and non-Government services and the community in general.

Critical worker exemption from the Public Health (COVID-19 Self-Isolation) Order (No 4) 2021 (No 4)

• Exempts a critical worker from Clauses 7A and 8 of the Public Health (COVID-19 Self-Isolation) Order (No 4) 2021 for the purpose of attending work, subject to certain conditions - came into force on 28 January 2022.

Exemption Under the Public Health (COVID-19 General) Order (No 2) 2021

• Exempts the occupier of certain premises from certain parts of the Public Health (COVID-19 General) Order (No 2) 2021, subject to conditions - came into force 25 January 2022.

COVID-19 Directions (No. 29) 2022: Amendment of COVID-19 Directions (No. 22) 2022

• Amends COVID-19 Directions (No. 29) 2022.

COVID-19 Directions (No. 32) 2022: Directions to Wear Face Masks Outdoors in the Territory

• Requires a person to wear a face mask when the person is outside the premises where the persons resides and within 1.5 m of another person who does not reside at the same premises.

COVID-19 Directions (No. 33) 2022: Directions for Lock-In Areas

• Requires persons within a lock-in area not to leave the lock-in area unless for a permitted reason.

COVID-19 Directions (No. 34) 2022: Amendment of COVID-19 Directions (No. 33) 2022

• Amends COVID-19 Directions (No. 33) 2022.

COVID-19 Directions (No. 35) 2022: Amendment of COVID-19 Directions (No. 131) 2021

• Amends COVID-19 Directions (No. 131) 2021.

Hospital Entry Direction (No. 10)

• Imposes entry, information collection and vaccination requirements for all hospitals.

Isolation for Diagnosed Cases of COVID-19 and Management of Close Contacts Direction (No. 5)

• Amends the requirements for a diagnosed person and for close contacts contained in the Isolation for Diagnosed Cases of COVID-19 and Management of Close Contacts Direction (No.4) for the purpose of protecting the health of the community and health workers, and to safeguard the delivery of hospital care in Queensland.

Quarantine for International Arrivals Direction (No. 21)

• Sets the requirements for quarantine for international arrivals, quarantine at government nominated accommodation, and screening and evidentiary provisions, among other things.

Emergency Management (Activities - Associated Direction No 18) (COVID-19) Direction 2022

• Declares the whole of South Australia to be a declared area that is subject to level 1 restrictions and makes modifications to the General Direction, among other things.

Emergency Management (Appropriate Surgery During COVID-19 Pandemic No 7) Direction 2022

• Ensures that healthcare resources are available to respond to the immediate needs of persons infected with COVID-19.

Emergency Management (Healthcare Setting Workers Vaccination No 6) (COVID-19) Direction 2022

• Maintains the provision of healthcare services operating in South Australia despite the presence of COVID-19 in the community, minimises disruption to those services due to the spread of COVID-19 amongst healthcare setting workers, minimises disruption to those services due to workers being furloughed following possible exposure to COVID-19 and reduces the risk of spread of COVID-19 by healthcare setting workers to patients.

Emergency Management (In-home and Community Aged Care Disability Support Workers Vaccination No 4) (COVID-19) Direction 2022

• Reduces the risk of transmission of COVID-19 to vulnerable members of the community by persons providing them in-home or community based care, maintains the provision of in-home and community aged care and disability support services despite the presence of COVID-19 in the community, minimises the disruption to those services due to the spread of COVID-19 amongst in-home and community aged care and disability support service workers, and minimises the disruption to those services due to in-home and community aged care and disability support service workers being furloughed following possible exposure to COVID-19.

Emergency Management (Residential Aged Care Facilities No 46) (COVID-19) Direction 2022

• Ensures that appropriate measures are taken to establish controls and safeguards to protect vulnerable members of the South Australian community, including by imposing restrictions on visitors and mandating vaccination and record-keeping requirements.

Direction Under Section 16 (Quarantine - No. 9)

• Sets the requirements for quarantine for close contacts and specific requirements for critical workers.

Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme Regulations 2022

• Implements further temporary measures to apply to tenants and landlords under eligible leases under the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme Act 2021 to mitigate the effect of measures taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, among other things.

Pandemic (Additional Industry Obligations) Order 2022 (No. 4)

• Imposes additional specific obligations on employers and workers in specific industries (poultry processing facilities, abattoirs and meat processing facilities, seafood processing facilities, supermarket work premises and perishable food work premises, warehousing and distribution centres, commercial cleaning services, care facilities, ports of entry servicing international arrivals, hotel quarantine, hospitals and construction sites) in relation to managing the risk associated with COVID-19 - came into force at 11.59 pm on 25 January 2022.

Pandemic COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specified Facilities) Order 2022 (No 3)

• Requires operators of specified facilities to manage the vaccination status of workers, in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 within the population in residential aged care facilities, construction sites, healthcare facilities and education facilities, and requires operators of specified facilities to collect, record and hold certain vaccination information of workers, and prevent entry of unvaccinated or partially unvaccinated workers for the purpose of working, among other things - came into force at 11:59 pm on 25 January 2022.

Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) (Conduct on Public Transport) and (Infringements) (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Regulations 2022

• Amends the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) (Conduct on Public Transport) Regulations 2015 to require passengers to wear a face covering on Victoria’s public transport network if required to do so in accordance with a pandemic order and to make consequential amendments required due to the expiry of Part 5 of those Regulations, and amends the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) (Infringements) Regulations 2019 to prescribe new transport infringements and infringement penalties for the new offences inserted into the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) (Conduct on Public Transport) Regulations 2015.

Chief Health Officer Approval to Request COVID-19 Testing Persons Who Are Presenting to be Tested under the DFES (Fire Season) Aerial Tanker Crew Directions

• Approves medical practitioners and persons duly and properly engaged to collect specimens to request a COVID-19 test as an approved requester in respect of any person that the requester has been reasonably satisfied is a person required to present to the COVID Clinic or testing booth to comply with the DFES (Fire Season) Aerial Tanker Crew Directions.

Chief Health Officer Approval to Request COVID-19 Testing on Persons Who Are Presenting to be Tested under the Flight Crew Directions (No 8)

• Approves medical practitioners and persons duly and properly engaged to collect specimens to request a COVID-19 test as an approved requester in respect of any person that the requester has been reasonably satisfied is a person required to present to the testing booth to comply with the Flight Crew Directions No. 8.

Chief Health Officer Approval to Request COVID-19 Testing Persons Who Are Presenting to be Tested under the Pilbara Ports Authority (Marine or Aerial Pilot) Workers Directions

• Approves medical practitioners and persons duly and properly engaged to collect specimens to request a COVID-19 test as an approved requester in respect of any person that the requester has been reasonably satisfied is a person required to present to the COVID Clinic to comply with the PPA (Marine or Aerial Pilot) Workers Directions.

Chief Health Officer Approval to Request COVID-19 Testing on Persons Who Are Presenting to be Tested under the Presentation for Testing (Airport Workers - Direct International Arrivals) Directions

• Approves medical practitioners and persons duly and properly engaged to collect specimens to request a COVID-19 test as an approved requester in respect of any person that the requester has been reasonably satisfied is a person required to present for testing to comply with the Airport Workers - Direct International Arrivals Directions.

Chief Health Officer Approval to Request COVID-19 Testing on Persons Who Are Presenting to be Tested Under the Transport, Freight and Logistics Directions (No 9)

• Approves medical practitioners and persons duly and properly engaged to collect specimens to request a COVID-19 test as an approved requester in respect of any person that the requester has been reasonably satisfied is a person required to present to the COVID-19 clinic to comply with the Transport, Freight and Logistics Directions (No 9).

COVID Transition (Border Requirements) Directions

• Prevents the importation of COVID-19 into WA, to otherwise limit the spread of COVID-19 in WA and to facilitate the management of people coming into WA during the State of Emergency.

COVID Transition (Border Requirements) Amendment Directions (No 1)

• Amends the COVID Transition (Border Requirements) Directions and are for the purpose of preventing the importation of COVID-19 into WA, to otherwise limit the spread of COVID-19 in WA and to facilitate the management of people coming into WA during the State of Emergency.

COVID Transition (Face Coverings) Directions

• Requires the wearing of a face covering in the affected areas in order to prevent, control or abate the risks associated with the emergency presented by the pandemic and otherwise limit the spread of COVID-19.

Extension of Declaration (No.3) of Public Health State of Emergency

• Extends the public health state of emergency declaration for 14 days.

Extension of State of Emergency Declaration

• Extends the State of Emergency Declaration for a period of 14 days.

Health Care Workers Directions

• Facilitates the entry to WA of health care workers from other State and Territories and from places outside of Australia, while preventing the spread of COVID-19 into WA.

Proof of Vaccination Directions (No 2)

• Sets out vaccination and proof of vaccination requirements for certain premises in WA for the purposes of preventing, controlling or abating the risks associated with the State of Emergency.

Return of Students Direction (No 3)

• Sets out the requirements that apply to returning students and are for the purpose of preventing the importation of COVID-19 into WA and otherwise limiting the spread of COVID-19 into WA.

Rapid Antigen Test (Restrictions on Sale and Supply) Directions

• Places limitations on the volume of rapid antigen tests which may be supplied in certain transactions so as to facilitate proper management of supply of rapid antigen tests.

Amendment to Notice of Expansion to Authorisation of Persons to Import, Supply and Distribute Point-Of-Care Tests Under the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Point-Of-Care Tests) Order 2021

• Authorises specified persons or classes of persons to import, supply, distribute, sell to other authorised persons or classes of persons, and use (excluding the importation or supply for any individual‘s personal use) the listed point-of-care tests.

Australian Government:

• National Cabinet Statement - 27 January 2022

Department of Health:

• ATAGI Update Following Weekly COVID-19 Meeting - 27 January 2022
• COVID-19 Vaccination Information Kiosks Open Now In SA, WA, Vic, NSW and Qld
• Top 3 COVID-19 Vaccine Questions - Reinfection, Cases in Vaccinated Areas and Best Masks
• What to Do if You Get COVID-19

Therapeutic Goods Administration:

• COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Self-Tests (for Home Use)
• Instructions for Sponsors Who Have Interest in Supplying a COVID-19 Self-Test
• Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine (COMIRNATY) Provisionally Approved for Use as a Booster in Individuals Aged 16-17 Years Old
• WARNING: No Special Exemptions to Import or Supply Unapproved Rapid Antigen Tests have been Granted by the TGA

ACT Government:

• Face to Face Learning is Back - With a New Public School for the ACT
• Low Level Public Health Social Measures Extended

SafeWork NSW:

• Changes to Reporting COVID-19 Cases in the Workplace
• Covid Business Support Package Released
• Staged Return of Non-Urgent Elective Surgery
• Students Return to Face to Face Learning

NT Government:

• Back to School: COVID-Safe Plans for Territory Classrooms
• Booster Vaccinations Mandated for Territory Workers
• NT COVID-19 Update - Lajamanu Enters Seven Day Lock-in

Department of Environment and Science:

• COVID-19 Information for Environmental Authority Holders

The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory:

• Back-to-School Vaccination Blitz at More than 50 Queensland Schools
• COVID-safe Back to School Plan

SA Government:

• Public Activities Chart Level 1+ Requirements
• More Support for SA Business as Marshall Government Announces Latest Package to Protect Jobs And Boost Economy
• Pharmacy Interns to Boost Vaccination Effort
• Restrictions Easing Thanks to SA’s Strong Omicron Response

Tasmanian Government:

• Additional Critical Industries Included in the Temporary Exemption Framework
• Additional Industries Eligible for Close Contact Quarantine Exemption
• Boosters to Become Available for 16-17 Year Olds
• Continuing to Keep Tasmanians Safe
• Delivering Safe School Buses When School Resumes
• Have you Added Your Child’s Vaccination to Your Back-to-School Checklist?
• Important Community Updates
• More than 200 Tasmanian Businesses Receive Financial Support
• School Vaccination Blitz Giving Parents Greater Flexibility

Victorian Government:

• A Safe Start to School for More than One Million Students
• Final Push to Protect Kids Before School
• More Food Relief on the Way

WA Government:

• COVID Care at Home for Western Australians Who Need It
• Critical Worker Definitions and Protocols for Very High Caseload Environment
• High COVID Caseload Settings Under WA’s Updated Transition Plan
• Masks Mandatory in Wheatbelt and Great Southern
• New Close Contact Definitions for School and Childcare Settings

NZ Government:

• Government Announces Three Phase Public Health Response to Omicron
• OECD Report Card Backs NZ’s Pandemic Response
• Testing Improvements See New Zealand Well Prepared for Omicron

WorkSafe NZ: 

• Most Businesses Doing the Right Thing Under COVID-19 Requirements

World Health Organisation:

• New Global Report on Maintaining Services for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Older People During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned from 19 Countries
• New Online Course: Implementation of SARS-Cov-2 Antigen-Detection Rapid Tests
• WHO and Viamo Provide Critical Access to COVID-19 Information to the Next Billion Digital Users Via Their Mobile Phones