View from The Hill: national cabinet drops mandatory isolation, dumping 'COVID exceptionalism'

By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

National cabinet has agreed to lift the five day mandatory isolation period for people contracting COVID, with the Commonwealth’s chief medical officer declaring “it is time to move away from COVID exceptionalism”.

In a landmark step federal, state and territory governments have essentially moved to treating COVID like the flu and similar illnesses.

The isolation requirement will be lifted on October 14. The pandemic payment, designed to compensate workers without sickness leave entitlements and so encourage them to stay at home, will be removed at the same time.
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