By Parker McKenzie
Changes to the way residents of Healesville and surrounding areas test for Covid-19 will come into effect after the Victorian government’s announcement on Thursday 6 January.
The shift will see an increased reliance on rapid antigen testing to help ease the pressure currently placed on testing sites, as well as the introduction of density limits for hospitality.
From 7 January people who receive a positive rapid antigen test must report it to the Department of Health via either a phone call or an online form.
Minister for Health Martin Foley said he will sign pandemic orders that establish a person with a positive rapid antigen test is a probable, meaning they have the same obligations and rights as someone who is a confirmed Covid case.
“What is clear is that we are in a new phase on the pandemic and a new phase of how we need to respond,” he said.
“The strategies of the past two year have served us well in regards to those earlier variants, but we are changing to a whole heap of new approaches when it comes to how we respond to the omicron variant.”
Mr Foley said the changes were made based on decisions from the national cabinet meeting held on 5 January.
“From tonight there will be changes to how the density limits in some areas of hospitality and entertainment apply,” he said.
“A density limit of one person per two square metres will be in place for indoor entertainment and hospitality venues which is a similar rule that has been in place in New South Wales since before the New Year.”
This includes restaurants, cafes, pubs, nightclubs, arcades, amusement parks, casinos and gaming venues. Indoor seated theatres and cinemas are exempt from this rule.
Mr Foley said Victoria has ordered 44 million rapid antigen tests with 700,000 arriving in Victoria by the end of the week.
The changes will take effect at 11.59pm 6 January.
