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National cabinet has already amended its new COVID-19 rules, further relaxing testing arrangements by removing the requirement for confirmed cases in isolation to do a rapid antigen test on the sixth day after being exposed.
Key points:
- Confirmed COVID-19 cases won't need a negative test to leave isolation if they're asymptomatic
- But close contacts will still need to have a test on day six of their isolation period
- The change was announced via a media statement from the Prime Minister
The change has been made less than 24 hours after the rules were announced following a snap national cabinet meeting on Thursday.
It means people who have had COVID-19 but do not have symptoms will no longer have to return a negative test before they end their seven-day isolation period.
The federal government says confirmed cases with symptoms should remain in isolation, while anyone with symptoms should still have a PCR test.
People who have been sent into seven days of isolation because they have been deemed close contacts will still be required to return a negative rapid antigen test on day six.
The shift in policy was announced following consultation between Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly, his state and territory counterparts, and the nation's leaders.
It follows criticism and complaints of price-gouging and limited supply of rapid antigen tests, which are flying off supermarket shelves as coronavirus cases around the nation continue to rise exponentially.
States veer from national rules
Originally, New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland had agreed close contacts and confirmed COVID-19 cases would now only need to isolate for seven days, if a rapid antigen test taken on day six was negative.
The Northern Territory government later announced it would adopt the rules as of New Year's Eve.
New South Wales has since amended that, saying close contacts should still take a PCR test "as soon as possible" after exposure.
Those states and territories, as well as South Australia, had also signed off on a new definition of a close contact, to now mean someone has spent four hours or more with a confirmed case in a household-like setting.
But South Australia has also backed away from that, on Friday saying the definition of a "close contact" in SA will include anyone who has spent more than 15 minutes with an infected person in a "setting where there has been significant transmission."
Western Australia has agreed to the changes "in principle" but is continuing with its existing close contact and isolation rules for the time being.
Rules praised as a 'win for the country'
Just hours before the latest changes were announced, federal government frontbencher Bridget McKenzie praised the nation's leaders for reaching a consensus on their COVID-19 response.
"Yesterday's national cabinet decision was a real win for the country, we finally had all jurisdictions agreeing to common definitions on what a close contact is and isolation rules," she said.
"I think what you're seeing is leadership at a national level being delivered."
Government accused of being irresponsible and callous with rapid antigen tests
The ease of testing protocols follows complaints of price-gouging and short supply of rapid-acting tests, which are flying off supermarket shelves as COVID-19 cases around the nation continue to rise exponentially.
Shadow Health Minister Mark Butler on Friday accused the Prime Minister of being neglectful, saying the recalibrated response to the Omicron variant relies heavily on rapid antigen-tests, which are expensive and hard to find.
"Scott Morrison decided to move rapid tests to the centre of our testing and tracing system without apparently giving any thought to questions of supply and questions of affordability," he said.
"Shelves around the country are empty.
The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) echoed the criticism, calling for rapid antigen tests to be provided to people on welfare for free.
The nation's leaders are currently considering how to provide free rapid antigen tests for vulnerable populations, but Mr Morrison has said there are no plans to make the rapid tests freely available for everyone, as has been done in the UK and Singapore.
"We are very concerned that people relying on income support payments just can't afford $70 for a rapid antigen test (RAT) kit, leaving them unable to assess their risk from COVID-19 for themselves, their families and the community," ACOSS President Peter McNamara said.
"It is irresponsible and callous of the Federal Government to fail to make provision for up to three million people already struggling to survive below the poverty line. Especially when we have evidence that people living in the lowest socioeconomic groups have experienced almost four times as many COVID-19 deaths as people in the highest income group."
No one can buy rapid tests: provider
Resources have been overwhelmed in recent days, with the PCR testing process plagued by queues and delays.
The changes to testing requirements have been designed to ease pressure on the testing system, by reducing the number of people in testing queues and subsequently freeing-up parts of the health workforce.
But Kate Harris, the Medical Director of 4Cyte Pathology, said the lack of rapid antigen kits meant the PCR testing system was still under immense pressure.
"I worked on the queue yesterday, a family of four going to Queensland on the 3rd of January said, 'We want to get our PCR testing,' because no-one can buy rapid antigen tests anymore, certainly not in Sydney," Dr Harris said.
The Federal Government has repeatedly insisted procuring rapid antigen tests is largely a matter for the states and territories, and Senator McKenzie said different jurisdictions were working to shore-up more stock.
"Victoria put in a huge order for rapid antigen testing a couple of weeks ago, New South Wales has done the same, so states are putting in place measures to get them on shelves which is great news," she said.
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