Desperate businesses, experts call for overhaul of strict isolation rule, with 100,000 trapped in homes

Virus experts say Victoria’s rigid “close contact” regime must be overhauled, with isolation times cut and people’s vaccination status taken into consideration.

Up to 100,000 Victorians are now trapped in isolation, prompting health experts and businesses to call for an urgent overhaul of the state’s rigid ‘close contact’ regime.

Public transport, parcel deliveries, GP clinics, supermarkets and other businesses have been crippled by strict rules that have sparked mass staff shortages, with fears the situation could worsen as cases spike and the number of Covid-free close contacts forced to isolate balloons.

Federal Health Department secretary Professor Brendan Murphy on Tuesday said there was “less likely to be a need to quarantine all casual contacts for a long period of time” as vaccination rates rise, highlighting NSW’s “significant changes”.

Leading experts and key business figures say the Victorian system must be overhauled, with the 14-day isolation requirement for primary close contacts cut and the vaccination status of people taken into consideration.

A fully-vaccinated Melbourne surgeon was forced to cancel 48 operations after his child attended an exposure site. He was deemed a close contact despite his child not having been in the same vicinity of the infected worker, and his family all returning negative tests.

Leading experts and key business figures say the Victorian isolation system must be overhauled Picture : NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

It comes as health authorities consider reducing isolation requirements for critical industries. Victoria reported a national record of 1763 cases on Tuesday, overtaking NSW’s 1599 cases on September 11.

As many as 100,000 Victorians are now in isolation at any one time. Just 14,368 are current active cases.

More than 50,000 are primary and secondary contacts, with tens of thousands of others isolating until they receive negative results.

Deakin University’s chair of epidemiology Catherine Bennett said amid high levels of community transmission, the risk of reducing the quarantine period was low.

She said most close contacts in isolation tested positive within the first week.

“Victoria has always erred on the side of caution, measures have always been based on risk, but this is now about acceptable risk,” she said.

Professor Bennett said an isolation discount that avoided 14-day home quarantine could encourage more people to get tested.

“The whole idea is we move past uncertainty, and part of that uncertainty … is going down to the supermarket and ending up in isolation,” she said.

As many as 100,000 Victorians are now in isolation at any one time. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

Epidemiologists Adrian Esterman and Nancy Baxter said there were many instances where people deemed primary close contacts didn’t need to isolate for two weeks.

Australia Post is battling to clear delivery backlogs, with more than 350 staff across Melbourne in isolation.

A single case at a facility can often lead to a backlog of as many as 350,000 parcels. “We’re continuing to work on minimising future network disruption as vaccination rates continue to rise in Victoria,” a spokeswoman said.

Health authorities unveiled a “moderate risk” pilot program for supermarket workers caught in exposure sites. It means fully vaccinated employees would only be required to quarantine for five days, depending on their individual risk.

It followed the closure of at least one supermarket, and reduced hours in a string of others, after isolation rules sparked mass staff shortages.

Key industry leaders want that program extended, warning that if unaddressed the problems would wreak havoc in the lead up to Christmas.

Australian Industry Group Victorian head Tim Piper said all food manufacturers needed to be certain staff weren’t being unnecessarily isolated.

“A factory or a distribution centre should not need to be closed because of one case,” he said.

Australian Meat Industry Council chief executive Patrick Hutchison said meat processing businesses should have the same treatment.

The Herald Sun understands health officials are discussing overhauling isolation rules, with some believing they will be too strict once vaccination rates rise.

Authorities will also consider relaxing rules for vaccinated GPs and clinic staff.

Meanwhile, Josh Frydenberg is in isolation after a staff member tested positive to Covid-19.

The Treasurer returned a negative test result after being contacted by health officials.