ESG

WA changes close contact, isolation rules

New protocols in place from today

Staff reporter
WA premier Mark McGowan

WA premier Mark McGowan

Close contacts will be redefined as a household member or intimate partner of a COVID-19 case or someone who had more than 15 minutes of maskless contact with a positive case or spent more than two hours in a small room.

Casual contacts will cease.

The isolation period will be cut from 14 days to seven days, while approved vaccinated travellers from interstate and overseas will be allowed to complete seven days of home quarantine.

PCR testing is still recommended, but rapid antigen tests will also be able to be used as diagnostic tool with a compulsory online registration system.

WA premier Mark McGowan said the new settings would help manage community transmission and minimise disruption in the community and to the economy.

"Western Australia is about to embark on its most challenging phase of the pandemic," he said.

"Unfortunately, these new protocols are not a sign of the pandemic ending - they signify the real impact of Omicron beginning in Western Australia."

Miners had called for the immediate change to isolation rules after more than 100 fly-in, fly-out workers were forced to isolate on mine sites last week.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining News Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining News Intelligence team.

editions

Mining Company ESG Index: Benchmarking the Future of Sustainable Mining

The Mining Company ESG Index report provides an in-depth evaluation of ESG performance of 61 of the world's largest mining companies. Using a robust framework, it assesses each company across 9 meticulously weighted indicators within 6 essential pillars.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Global Leadership Report 2024: Net Zero

Gain insights into decarbonisation trends and strategies from interviews with 20+ top mining executives and experts plus an industrywide survey.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Project Pipeline Handbook 2024

View our 50 top mining projects, handpicked using a unique, objective selection process from a database of 450+ global assets.

editions

MiningNews.net Research Report 2024

Access a multi-pronged tool to identify critical risks and opportunities in Australia’s mining industry.