Seven-day isolation time for Covid patients may be cut, as Jehovah’s Witnesses return to door-knocking Adelaide streets

Jehovah’s Witnesses in Adelaide have made a big call on Covid – as Australia’s leaders today consider cutting isolation time and ditching some mask use.

The time Covid-19 patients must isolate at home could be cut and mandatory masks may soon be ditched on planes and public transport, under official plans Australia’s political leaders will consider today.

It comes as Jehovah's’s Witnesses return to doorknocking Adelaide homes after a two-and-a-half year break due to Covid.

Adelaide spokesperson Josh Wilson said they had missed seeing people face-to-face.

“Even if people don’t want to talk to us, I think it’s actually comforting just that we’re there because it’s another sign that things are getting back to normal,” he said.

Jehovah's witnesses return to door knocking in Adelaide. Picture: supplied

National cabinet is on Wednesday reviewing the country’s current coronavirus restrictions after the third Omicron BA.5 wave peaked.

Top of the agenda for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, as well as state and territory leaders in Wednesday’s meeting, will be if Covid isolation rules can be eased from a week to five days.

Such a move, which business leaders say will help solve crippling staff shortages, was ruled out last month after unsupportive medical advice.

Australian Medical Association SA president Michelle Atchison said she had serious problems with the idea of cutting isolation requirements.

“We see so many of these changes made for other reasons not about the health reasons,” Dr Atchison told ABC Radio Adelaide.

“If we’re going to cut down the isolation period which the AMA would have considerable concerns about, please don’t make that because the Covid payments are stopping in a few months time, please don’t make it because there’s pressure from business … listen to what the health leaders are saying to you.”

She said the health concerns in cutting the isolation period were obvious.

“We know that five days into a Covid infection, many people will still be having symptoms, still be feeling unwell, and therefore are probably infected,” she said.

Masks are still mandatory for travel on public transport and flights, but that may change. Picture: istock

“We do know that people feel coerced in some ways to come back to work, either that their work is casual or insecure or they don’t have enough sick leave yet because they’ve had Covid before … people feel pressured to come back to work even if they’re not feeling 100 per cent.

“I can imagine it would be a potential disaster if the aged care sector said OK, come back to work as quickly as possible, that’s a sector where we need to protect our vulnerable people.”

SA Health on Tuesday recorded 685 new cases of Covid, with 4515 current active cases.

There were three reported deaths, including a woman in her 80s, a man in his 70s and a man in his 80s.

There were 129 people in hospital with seven in ICU.

But NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet is leading the renewed push to cut isolation days. Timings will be discussed after updated health advice from chief medical officer, Professor Paul Kelly, who will brief views from the country’s emergency medical panel, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.

SA’s chief public health officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier recently advised the Emergency Management Council against immediate changes.

It is understood leaders will also discuss scrapping mask mandates on flights and if this can be extended to legal coverings on public transport.

Officials have raised concerns about “bizarre” air travel mask rules that enforce masks to some countries.

Masks are mandatory on domestic flights.

Under state law, masks are mandatory in high-risk locations and trains, buses, trams or ride-share cars such as cabs and Uber vehicles.

Advertising from SA Heath, urging people to get a fourth dose of Covid vaccine.

Authorities will also discuss pandemic emergency payments, which are due to stop at the end of next month. During a meeting last week, state and territory leaders were “unanimous” that Covid rules should be reviewed but agreed to nationally consistent rules.

A spokesman for Premier Peter Malinauskas said the state government was “open-minded but will await the health advice”.

Mr Albanese’s spokesman added: “The Prime Minister has made it clear that he will continue to listen to the health advice.”

Business SA boss Andrew Kay said it would “help relieve” staff pressures amid “an evolution to living with Covid” while Australian Hotel Association chief Ian Horne said it would be a “fantastic” change.

Advertising from SA Heath for a fourth dose of Covid vaccine.

Health Minister Chris Picton will also launch a new vaccine campaign urging people aged under 30 to get a fourth dose.

He will also unveil an eligibility checker after an official survey found fewer than half of people knew rules.

Almost 485,000 eligible people have failed to get a fourth jab.

“We want more South Australians to get their fourth dose, stay out of hospital and

reduce pressure on frontline workers,” Mr Picton said.

“While Covid admissions are decreasing our hospitals remain very busy and the

pandemic continues to have an impact.”

Originally published as Seven-day isolation time for Covid patients may be cut, as Jehovah’s Witnesses return to door-knocking Adelaide streets