Is Five Days Enough? COVID-19 Mandatory Isolation Period Expected To Be Reduced

The mandatory seven-day isolation period for those with COVID-19 is likely to be reduced to five when National Cabinet meet on Wednesday.

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has previously pushed for the isolation period to be shortened and has flagged he will bring he topic up when state and territory leaders meet.

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Last month, Perrottet raised the idea, but while the latest Omicron wave had not peaked, advice from the Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly was not to make any change at that stage.

“Ultimately, we have to get to a point where if you are sick, you stay at home, and if you are not sick, you can go to work."

“And I think we need to look at the periods of time in which we are forcibly requiring people to not be able to work and provide for their families.”

It is understood however that the likely outcome at this week’s meeting is to reduce the isolation period to five days. 

It’s also believed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s position is the isolation period is ultimately a matter for the states, and they should listen to the health advice, although he would prefer to have one consistent rule across the nation.

Shortening the isolation period isn’t supported by everyone, with epidemiologists saying people can remain infectious at day five of their mandatory isolation.

Epidemiologist and Associate Principle Research Follow at Melbourne’s Burnet Institute Professor Mike Toole said new research showed around 50 per cent of people who tested positive for COVID-19 were still infectious after five days.

“At 10 days, almost no one is infectious, so it's between five and 10 days that you need to decide: what's the optimum period that people should keep themselves out of the community?" he told SBS News.

"I would say seven days at the moment, given the current evidence, is pretty good.  

“Even though some people are still infectious after seven days, the majority are not." 

New South Wales pensioners and concession card holders are being offered 10 free rapid antigen tests (RAT), as Perrottet continues to push for the reduction.

Customer Services Minister Victor Dominello said the RATs will be able to be collected through Service NSW Centres and at neighbourhood and community centres or disaster recovery centres.

“Although we are heading out of winter, the risk of COVID-19 remains and we want to ensure RATs are easily accessible for pensioners and concession card holders."

Free tests are available until the end of October to Commonwealth Concession Card holders in NSW, including those who hold a Pensioner Concession Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card, Health Care Card, and Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold, White or Orange card.

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