Victoria’s opposition leader, Matthew Guy, has called for an end of mandatory isolation for Covid close contacts – while in isolation himself after a positive test result in his family.
Guy, who is spending the next seven days in isolation with his family after his son Alex tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday morning, said he has no symptoms and could be at work.
He claimed half the state was in “semi-lockdown” as a result of the rules.
“I’m negative. The other boys and [wife] Renae are all negative but that’s what Victorians are living with. No wonder half the state’s in a semi-lockdown because we’re all in isolation,” he told reporters during a press conference held over Zoom.
His comments came after the premier, Daniel Andrews, on Monday revealed he had tested positive for Covid and was isolating with his family.
Guy said many hospitality businesses were struggling with staff shortages as a result of the isolation rules, with some owners telling him they are concerned they won’t be able to open over the Easter period.
Several workers in other industries, including health and emergency services, transport and freight and food production have been exempt from close contact isolation rules since January and are able to attend work provided they have no symptoms, test negative on rapid antigen tests and wear a mask.
Guy said all close contacts who have no symptoms and test negative on rapid antigen tests should be allowed to leave isolation.
“You’ve got to apply common sense,” he said. “If you’re doing tests and you’re negative, and you feel fine, then you should get on with life. That’s the most sensible way to conduct yourself. That’s how other states are doing it. I just don’t see why, in Victoria, we’ve got thousands of people sitting at home who are constantly reporting negative tests.
“This is now the third year of the pandemic and these laws are still holding us back, they are still holding the state back. The state government is still obsessed with making laws to hold us all back. It’s about time we just recovered and got on with our lives.”
Earlier this month, the federal government asked the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee to provide urgent advice to national cabinet on the transition away from isolation for close contacts.
Both the Victorian and New South Wales governments have also indicated they are working on plans to allow fully vaccinated close contacts who have no symptoms to leave isolation, provided they return regular negative rapid antigen tests.
However, no states have scrapped close contact isolation at this stage.
Guy confirmed the deputy Liberal leader, David Southwick, will take his place for the next seven days but he will continue to work from home.
“It doesn’t stop now that I’ve got the ability to get on these Zooms,” he said. “The coffee machine will get a year’s worth of work in one week, I suspect.”
