SA hopes to relax Omicron rules | Canberra weather
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South Australia’s Prime Minister Steven Marshall has said he hopes the extended quarantine for close contacts of COVID-19 Omicron cases can be lifted soon. SA has at least two confirmed cases of the new variant and its arrival last week prompted the state government to increase the isolation requirement for close contact at exposure sites from seven to 14 days. But Mr Marshall says as more information on the new strain emerges, it is hoped the additional requirements can be removed. “We are taking a cautious approach because we do not want a massive Omicron outbreak as Christmas approaches,” the Prime Minister said. “But I hope we have good news for people who are in 14 day quarantine and are fully vaccinated later this week.” The quarantine change will be considered at Tuesday’s meeting of the state’s transition committee. SA Health reported 13 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. He said five were recent interstate arrivals, four were close contacts from previous cases and two were overseas arrivals. Two other local infections were being investigated to determine the source. Mr Marshall said the majority of new cases were thought to involve the Delta variant. They brought active SA infections to 65 with three people hospitalized, a woman in her 50s and two men in their 30s, all in stable condition. More than 2,000 people are isolated after being identified as close contacts or after visiting an increasing number of exhibition sites. Mr Marshall said he understood that those in isolation were making a “sacrifice” to ensure that the majority of South Australians could have a relatively normal Christmas. “We appreciate this sacrifice,” he said. However, the prime minister said far fewer people needed to be quarantined now that the SA had moved from the “elimination phase” to the “suppression phase” with its response to the coronavirus pandemic. Associated Australian Press
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South Australia’s Prime Minister Steven Marshall has said he hopes the extended quarantine for close contacts of COVID-19 Omicron cases can be lifted soon.
SA has at least two confirmed cases of the new variant and its arrival last week prompted the state government to increase the isolation requirement for close contact at exposure sites from seven to 14 days.
But Mr Marshall says as more information on the new strain emerges, it is hoped the additional requirements can be removed.
“We are taking a cautious approach because we do not want a massive Omicron outbreak as Christmas approaches,” the Prime Minister said.
“But I hope we have good news for people who are in 14 day quarantine and are fully vaccinated later this week.”
The quarantine change will be considered at Tuesday’s meeting of the state’s transition committee.
SA Health reported 13 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday.
He said five were recent interstate arrivals, four were close contacts from previous cases and two were overseas arrivals.
Two other local infections were being investigated to determine the source.
Mr Marshall said the majority of new cases were thought to involve the Delta variant.
They brought active SA infections to 65 with three people hospitalized, a woman in her 50s and two men in their 30s, all in stable condition.
More than 2,000 people are isolated after being identified as close contacts or after visiting an increasing number of exhibition sites.
Mr Marshall said he understood that those in isolation were making a “sacrifice” to ensure that the majority of South Australians could have a relatively normal Christmas.
“We appreciate this sacrifice,” he said.
However, the prime minister said far fewer people needed to be quarantined now that the SA had moved from the “elimination phase” to the “suppression phase” with its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Associated Australian Press