PM’s call for calm against Omicron threat

Scott Morrison is urging Daniel Andrews and other state leaders to avoid a return to lockdown, warning: “We need to make calm decisions, not get spooked by this”.

Lockdowns will remain a thing of the past, according to Scott Morrison, but the Victorian government will keep quarantine arrangements in place amid the threat of the Omicron variant of concern.

On Tuesday evening Daniel Andrews extended the 72-hour home quarantine order for all international arrivals into the state, while those coming from nine southern African countries of concern must do 14 days hotel quarantine, regardless of their vaccination status.

“This virus is not static. It’s going to keep changing, and our response will need to be nimble,” the Premier said.

It comes after the Prime Minister called for calm on Tuesday as state leaders met at national cabinet to discuss the emerging threat posed by the new strain.

“We need to make calm decisions, not get spooked by this,” Mr Morrison said.

“We’re not going back to lockdowns – none of us want that. None of us want to go back to those long quarantines and all of those sorts of issues.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says lockdowns will be a thing of the past. Picture: David Mariuz

Mr Morrison said the meeting was a chance for state and federal leaders to compare notes on the new variant to harmonise their response and ensure Australia could “remain safely open”.

He said there was no need for states to toughen or reimpose internal border restrictions as a result of Omicron.

There are now six confirmed cases of the strain in Australia, with the latest having been infectious on the Central Coast in NSW.

Travellers into Victoria can leave isolation after 72 hours and following a negative PCR test, but must also complete an additional test between days five to seven after arrival.

International aircrew, depending on where they have travelled, must isolate in hotel quarantine for 72 hours or 14 days or until their next flight.

Mr Andrews said all rules would constantly be reviewed, but that he had received no health advice to increase that isolation stint to 14 days.

“We know and understand what the consequences of what that would be. It would be very, very significant,” he said, after revealing he had discussed the ramifications of harsher restrictions with Qantas boss Alan Joyce.

Premier Daniel Andrews says Victoria’s pandemic response needs to be ‘nimble’. Picture: Paul Jeffers

Upwards of 50 Victorians were told on Tuesday they could leave quarantine, after being identified as close contacts of a man suspected of having the Omicron strain.

A NSW man, who had recently returned from southern Africa and briefly visited Victoria, was cleared by genomic sequencing as not carrying the strain.

Health Minister Martin Foley said it was “inevitable” the variant would reach Victoria, if it wasn’t already circulating unknowingly.

“It’s (about) how we prepare for it, and how we live with it,” he said.

Chief health officer Brett Sutton said current vaccines were likely to provide protection, despite immune escape being a possibility because there are so many mutations of the spike protein.

Australia’s international border was due to reopen on Wednesday to overseas students, migrant workers and refugees, before the federal government decided to pause the move for two weeks.