I think we're also lucky the first major outbreak we faced was against an inferior Covid strain.
Western Australia’s COVID-19 situation continues to be encouraging.
We haven’t seen a spike in daily cases recorded since public health measures were eased just under two weeks ago, and hospitalisations have fallen and are now stable.
When compared to the scenario in our modelling, cumulative cases since the start of our outbreak are now tracking below what was predicted, and hospital and ICU admissions are significantly below what was expected.
It’s further evidence that our strategy of light public health measures, mask wearing and world-leading vaccination rates is working
Vaccines have slowed the spread, taken the burden off our hospitals, and saved lives.
This means we are in a strong position to safely ease a range of public health measures as planned.
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Effective 12.01am tomorrow (Thursday 14 April) the following measures will be in place:
Contact registration will be removed across the State in all settings except hospitals.
So you won’t have to check in at the pub or café any more, but you will at a hospital.
The 500-person cap at all hospitality venues, nightclubs and function centres will be removed as planned.
This will be welcomed by many venue owners, hospitality workers, and partygoers this weekend and beyond.
Limits to home and private outdoor gatherings will be removed entirely.
RAT testing on arrival will no longer be required for international and domestic travellers.
However, arrivals at Perth Airport will still be provided with a free RAT that we encourage them to use, and register any positive result with WA Health.
WA’s close contact definition will be refined to align with the National Cabinet definition.
A close contact will now only be defined as a household-type contact or intimate partner of a COVID-19 case, that being a person who resides with or stays overnight in the same premises or has had more than four hours of cumulative contact with a COVID-19 case in a residential/home setting (residential care facility, congregate living facility, boarding school/house or maritime vessel), without wearing a mask, or someone directed by WA Health that they are a close contact.
In short - only household members, and intimate partners of positive cases will be forced to isolate, as well as those who have spent four or more hours of cumulative contact, without masks, in a residential/home setting with a positive case.
People who are currently in isolation under the broader definition can leave isolation at midnight tonight, so long as they don’t have any symptoms.
However, this only applies to people who were defined as a close contact because they:
This does not apply to people are deemed a household close contact. They will still need to complete their isolation period.
- had at least 15 minutes face-to-face contact where a mask was not worn by the exposed person and the person with COVID-19; or
- are someone who had more than than two hours within a small room with a case during their infectious period where masks have been removed for this period by the exposed person and the person with COVID-19.
We can proceed down this path, with this sensible and safe change, because with too many forced to isolate relative to the risk they pose, and parents forced to stay home when their children are declared a contact in the classroom, the cost begins to outweigh the benefit.
While this will be a relief to many – it so it’s important to keep monitoring for symptoms and getting tested if they develop.
Make the most of those free RATs we are providing to every household and through pop-up locations, or go and get a free PCR test.
In the case of schools - they will no longer need to contact trace classroom or equivalent contacts when Term 2 begins, and cases in classrooms will no longer force students into isolation.
In effect, when it comes to schools – if you’re sick, stay home. And of course, if you have symptoms, get tested.
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While it’s not guaranteed yet, WA is getting closer to achieving our soft landing.
It is a remarkable thing – that together – we have avoided mass loss of life, while minimising the impact of the virus and public health measures on the community and the economy.
We will keep monitoring the situation over east – as they go through subsequent Omicron waves, so we can once again learn lessons from their experience, and continually review and ease our own public health measures.
WA has done a remarkable job and every Western Australian should be proud.
I wouldn't call it a spike. 6-8k seems like it will be roughly the daily range for the foreseeable future.
