Tara Murray
More workers who are classified as COVID-19 close contacts will be able to return to work sooner.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Thursday, that from next Wednesday workers in emergency services, education, critical utilities, custodial facilities, transport and freight will join workers in the food production sector as being eligible for an exemption to return to work.
Under the conditions of the exemption, the worker may return to work if it is necessary for continuity of operations and if other options have been exhausted.
The exemption will apply to attending work only.
In order to be eligible, the worker must first notify the employer of their status as a contact, and critically, both parties must consent to the worker returning to the workplace.
They are already required to be fully vaccinated.
Workers will be required to undertake a daily Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for five days and return a negative result prior to attending work each day, while also wearing a face mask at all times, with exceptions in the case of eating or drinking, or safety reasons.
The worker cannot enter shared break areas and the employer must try and facilitate solo break time.
The employer must also take reasonable steps to deploy the worker in areas where transmission risk is lower.
If the worker develops symptoms or tests positive on a RAT, the exemption no longer applies.
The exemption had been previously announced for key food and beverage workers.
This exemption also currently applies to hospital workers, disability workers, residential aged care facility workers, and ambulance workers, but the use of an N95 mask at the workplace is a requirement, not a preference.
Mr Andrews said this is about helping Victorians keep food on the table, lights on in the house and staff on in our hospitals.
“It’s safe and sensible in the eyes of our public health team, but to further protect themselves and the community, workers will have to use a rapid antigen test every day and wear a mask at all times.”
