Covid-19 mask restrictions stay as SA authorities debate changes and urge patience

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has urged South Australians to “hold on a little bit longer” after mask rules and close contact requirements were left unchanged.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said mask rules and close contact requirements would be eased “very soon” after no changes were made to directions on Tuesday.

Frustrated business chiefs criticised a “missed opportunity” to ease Covid-19 close contact rules as authorities monitor if a significant ­easing of restrictions will fuel hospital admissions.

In a surprise move, the Covid-ready Committee (CRC) on Tuesday advised “no movement” in public mask use or changes to quarantine rules.

Officials instead want to wait and see how last week’s “significant” easing of restrictions affects cases and hospital patient numbers. Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, who approves legal directions as state co-ordinator, scrapped density rules on Saturday after two years and lifted bans on dancing and singing.

Mr Stevens said the lack of changes on Tuesday was based on health advice.

“We did release virtually all of the restrictions on Saturday just gone so when you look at the high level of activity around the Fringe and the festival WOMADelaide, we’ve got stand-up drinking, no density requirements, I think SA Health are rightly just taking a cautious step,” he told FIVEaa on Wednesday.

“I would expect that we will see changes very soon but I need to follow the health advice and the strong advice yesterday was hold for a little bit longer.

“We’re almost out of this, and we’re getting to the point where life is as back to normal as we can expect it to be.”

He said he has urged SA Health to actively consider changing the close contact rules.

“I think we have to acknowledge that Nicola (Spurrier) has made some pretty tough calls over the last two years and I think we’ve been well served by her advice and I know that she is giving active consideration to this so that we can actually provide some relief to people but in a proportionate way.”

Senior government sources say family quarantine rules may be cut by half to seven days next week after a meeting of the country’s emergency medical panel, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee. Scrapping mandatory masks in public will also be “the last” rule to ease. ­National cabinet last week said close contact rules should go.

The CRC is not due to meet before this weekend’s election.

But Business SA policy and advocacy director Kendall Crowe criticised the “missed opportunity” to ease contact rules from 15 minutes exposure to four hours for workers.

“We are hearing from our members that the rationale for this is difficult to understand,” she said. “(The) decision to keep the close contact rules will continue to cause significant mental health concerns ... with businesses running tight and staff unable to work.”

South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Australian Hotels Association SA boss Ian Horne said it was a “disappointing” result.

“It is a state of rules that apply to nowhere else,” he said

Australian Medical Association federal vice-president Dr Chris Moy said “inconsistent” contact rules should go but masks were sensible. “It is a good idea as there are several things in play,” he said.

He said restrictions had only just eased while there was a new Omicron sub-variant.

Speaking before the meeting, Premier Steven Marshall said: “I think everybody is sick to death of masks at the moment but they’ve been necessary to make sure we don’t have a nasty second wave.”

SA Health reported three deaths and 2380 new infections on Tuesday.

After four days of rising ­admissions, hospital rates are stable at 225 patients along with ICU numbers.