New restrictions, testing rules as Victoria’s Covid infections surge

Big changes have been announced for rapid testing and hospitality venues are facing new rules as Health Minister Martin Foley says Victoria is in “a new phase” of the pandemic.

Victorian hospitality venues will be asked to keep a density limit of 1 person per 2sq m under revised restrictions to limit Covid transmission.

Health Minister Martin Foley announced the change under the state’s new pandemic orders on Thursday.

The new density quotient will apply indoors and will take effect from 11.59pm tonight.

The exception to this will be indoor seated cinemas and theatres, where because people are seated, and masked, there are other factors at play, Mr Foley said.

Mr Foley said about one in 50 Victorians were now Covid positive. He said about one in 20 people aged in their 20s had the virus and there were signs the numbers of positive cases were “overwhelmingly” from hospitality and similar environments.

A return to the office will also be extended, with the “strong recommendation” that Victorians continue to study and work from home until Australia Day.

Health Minister Martin Foley has announced new restrictions amid the surge in Covid cases. Picture: David Crosling

IVF clinics are also being contacted by authorities and asked to cancel their appointments with clients in an effort to free up more health resources.

It comes less than a day after the state government paused non-urgent elective surgeries.

Victoria recorded 21,997 new Covid cases overnight and six deaths.

There are 631 Victorians in hospital and 100 people in intensive care, with 22 Victorians currently on a ventilator.

CHANGE TO COVID TESTING REGIMEN

Addressing the media on Thursday, Mr Foley also confirmed how Victoria’s testing regimen will work under new changes announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Under new pandemic orders, people who return a positive result on a rapid antigen test will be considered “probable” Covid cases and follow the same rules as a confirmed infection.

From midnight on Thursday, it will become mandatory for any positive results on a rapid antigen test to be reported to the Department of Health.

Anyone who tests positive to Covid will be required to fill out an online form for the health department or contact the department by phone.

Victorians who return a positive result on a rapid antigen test will be considered ‘probable’ Covid cases. Picture: Nicholas Eagar

This will also allow people to access isolation payments and report worsening symptoms for treatment.

PCR tests will still be recommended for people who return a positive RAT, but are not contacts or symptomatic.

“What is clear is that we are in a new phase of this pandemic, and a new phase of how we need to respond,” Mr Foley said.

“The strategies of the last two years have served us very well in regards to those earlier variants. We need, and are, indeed, changing to a whole heap of other new approaches when it comes to how we respond to the Omicron variant.”

The new density quotient in hospitality will take effect from 11.59pm on Thursday.

“Forty-four million rapid antigen tests due to come in and starting to come in in the coming weeks, with at least over 700,000 coming in in very current time frames of the next day or so.

“Today I will be signing pandemic orders that recognise people with a (positive) rapid antigen test as a probable case, as a new description in the pandemic orders.

“What it will mean is essentially they will have precisely the same obligations and the same rights as someone — whether it be for clinical support, financial support, from both the state or the commonwealth — a whole range of other opportunities to be part of that primary healthcare response to keep them safe as they work through their infectivity.”