The Chief Minister of Northern Territory, Natasha Fyles has today announced changes to mandates in the workforce and quarantine settings. But there is a catch.
She states that Covid is now at endemic stage and they will now live with the virus. A variety of industries required workers to have had 3 shots of the vaccine to work, including education, hospitality, and beauticians.
From June 16th, the public health emergency will end, which means mandates end, and Territorians will be under endemic stage. The government mandates will end but workplaces will be able to use their own policies to have employees vaccinated or not. It is also up to employers if they want to hire or re-hire workers.
It is unclear if high-rise settings such as aged care, hospitals, and prisons will have mandates lifted.
The catch: Laws passed recently in the NT parliament still gives the Chief Health Officer (CHO) to make covid-related directions if they are required. The CHO can mandate self quarantine for overseas travellers and restrict movement in remote indigenous communities.
The Marrara vaccination centre will close at the end of the month as well as the Howard Springs facility. The Commonwealth and NT government will be able to re-open the facility within the next 12 months if it is required.
The CHO directions are to stay after June 16th which means Covid positive people will still need to isolate, test requirements to stay, requirements to declare positive tests, and extra assistance for police to enforce these directions.
