The State Government has today provided businesses with a pathway out of COVID-19 restrictions, with WA’s interstate and international borders expected to reopen in late January or early February after the State hits a 90 per cent double-dose vaccination rate.
Releasing a Safe Transition Plan, Premier Mark McGowan revealed a reopening date would be “locked in” when an 80 per cent double dose rate (12 years and older) is achieved, expected to be next month.
When the State reopens, vaccinated arrivals from interstate and overseas will not be required to quarantine and economic lockdowns will cease.
The reopening, however, is dependent on no community transmission, with testing and vaccination requirements and baseline public and health and social measures to be introduced.
CCIWA CEO Chris Rodwell welcomed the release of a roadmap out of COVID restrictions and urged all unvaccinated West Australians to sort their first dose tomorrow.
Access CCIWA’s mandatory vaccination guide at covid19.cciwa.com.
As at November 5, 63.7 per cent of eligible West Australians had been double vaccinated, with 79.3 per cent at one dose. About 250,000 people need to get vaccinated for the State to reach the reopening target.
Under the plan, interstate arrivals will be required to:
- be double dose vaccinated (for eligible people);
- return a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to departure; and
- undertake a test on arrival in WA (to be phased out, pending a review).
International arrivals will be required to:
- be double dose vaccinated (for eligible people);
- return a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to departure;
- undertake a test on arrival (to be phased out, pending a review); and
- complete 14 days quarantine in a designated facility (if high risk, e.g. unvaccinated).
Interim baseline public health and social measures will be applied to help manage the spread of COVID-19 in WA, pending up-to-date health advice, these include:
- face masks for some high-risk indoor settings (e.g. public transport, hospitals and aged care facilities);
- proof of vaccination for large events (1,000+), nightclubs and the casino;
- contact registration (SafeWA) at all public venues;
- revised COVID Event and Safety Plans; and
- restricted entry to remote Aboriginal communities, where necessary.
“This plan sets out how WA will transition in a safe manner and provides a soft landing, with minimal impact on WA’s unique way of life,” said the Premier.
View a summary of the Safe Transition Plan here.
Rodwell said: “CCIWA has been calling for forward guidance on the reopening of the economy since June 2020. Though cautious, the roadmap provides a higher level of certainty for WA businesses to plan their operations and investments.
“Now it’s game on. The WA community and Government must do all it can to supercharge vaccination rates.
“We especially urge younger West Australians to get their doses. Every day that passes is another day that local businesses continue to suffer from crippling skill shortages, disruptions to supply chains, and in which sectors like events and tourism are cut off from their customers.”
Rodwell urged the State Government to enable businesses to access much-needed skills sooner and looked forward to working closely with the Government to advance a range of measures to ensure industry quickly and safely access the workers they need.
See our full response here.
To get vaccinated now, visit http://www.rollupforwa.com.au.
CCIWA members can access more information via our Employee Relations Advice Centre on (08) 9365 7660 or via [email protected].
Visit covid19.cciwa.com to access more CCIWA resources and support.
