New NSW rules to relieve double-dosed duties

New rules in NSW will allow fully vaccinated people who come into contact with Covid-19 cases outside the home to escape the current mandatory two weeks of self-isolation.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in Sydney on Thursday. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

New rules in NSW will allow fully vaccinated people who come into contact with Covid-19 cases in bars and restaurants, or while shopping or in the office, to escape the current mandatory two weeks of self-isolation.

An updated “contact risk assessment for community and workplace settings” from NSW Health is likely to be considered by the crisis cabinet on Friday and take effect from October 11 when the state hits the 70 per cent vaccination target.

The risk category for fully vaccinated people who have had close range contact (less than 1.5m) with an infectious case will now be classed as casual. That contact includes shaking hands, hugging or kissing and would apply in both indoor and outdoor settings.

Those who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated will remain as close contacts.

Fully jabbed individuals who have shared an indoor space with an infectious case but at more than 1.5m distance will now generally be regarded as at low risk.

The rules would apply on offices, hospitality venues, shops, universities, supermarkets and construction sites, but not in households, schools, healthcare or aged-care settings.

Gladys Berejiklian foreshadowed the changes to the self-­isolation rules on Thursday. “When you have 70 or 80 per cent of your adult population vaccinated, it does mean you deal with contact tracing differently,” the NSW Premier said.

“You don’t have to be as cautious with close contacts, you don’t have to be as cautious with a whole range of things.”

The moves come as the NSW government announced it would spend $500m to continue half of the JobSaver payment to eligible businesses until November 30, with federal government support set to be withdrawn as the state reopens. “We know that when we do open up at 70 per cent and 80 per cent, there will still be some restrictions in place, that businesses will not be operating at full capacity,” NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.

“So by maintaining the NSW government’s contribution to this program, it will allow many businesses the support they need as we move from response to recovery and whilst it’s going to be a difficult time as we go through that reopening, I’m incredibly confident that the NSW economy will bounce back.”

When NSW reaches the 70 per cent double-vaccination rate, JobSaver payments will taper from 40 per cent to 30 per cent of weekly payroll.

At the 80 per cent double-­vaccination rate, when the commonwealth ends its contri­butions, the NSW government will continue to fund its 50 per cent contribution, with payments tapered from 30 per cent to 15 per cent of weekly payroll.

The payments will end on Nov­ember 30 as the state heads into a December with most Covid restrictions lifted.

The government foreshadowed further financial aid for hard-hit tourism businesses to be announced early in October.

Ms Berejiklian said further “tweaks” to the road map would be made once the state surpassed 70 per cent vaccination. “There are a number of people in the community who have asked us to consider certain things and Health is considering those things and if it’s safe to do so, we’ll be able to resume some of those activities at 80 per cent as opposed to December 1.”

NSW recorded 941 new cases of Covid-19 and six deaths on Thursday, but edged closer to its 90 per cent double vaccination goal, with 86.7 per cent of the population now vaccinated.