Combines

CAUTIOUS APPROACH: Minister for Health Mary-anne Thomas is calling on Victorian businesses to enact their own measures to project the health of employees.

Exemption buffer drops from 12 to four weeks

Mansfi eld COVID case numbers rising, but still lower than trend g,

THE exemption period before people have to test and quarantine again aft er contracting COVID-19 has been cut from 12 to four weeks.

It’s a change that refl ects emerging evidence that new Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 can evade prior immunity gained from infection.

The Victorian Government did, however, ignore health advice calling for mask mandates in schools, early childhood and retail settings.

It has instead strongly recommended Victorians wear masks indoors and in crowded spaces.

It comes as the State Government signalled that restrictions could be imposed on the health system if case numbers continue to rise.

As of print, the Mansfi eld area has recorded 2823 COVID cases, with with 71 cases currently active, showing an upward trend returning aft er the fl u also spread through the Shire.

However, Mansfi eld’s COVID rates appear to be lower than our neighbours, despite heavy tourism traffi c.

Strathbogie had 72 active cases, Benalla had 90, Alpine had 101, Murrindindi 107, Indigo had 138, and Wangaratta had 230.

Second dose rates hit 90 per cent in Mansfi eld in November last year, and third dose rates were already at 50 per cent as early as February.

Hospital admissions across Victoria have risen substantially in the last two weeks from 402 in mid-June to 737 last week.

In recognition of this next phase of the pandemic and as part of the government’s plan to protect the healthcare system, changes to pandemic orders and public health recommendations came into eff ect last week.

There will be a boost in public health messaging and engagement eff orts with the community to encourage third and fourth COVID-19 vaccination doses, fl u vaccination, the benefi ts of wearing a mask and maximising ventilation indoors.

The Stay Well in Winter campaign will run across TV, radio, outdoor and digital channels.

It will support community leaders and business to encourage the uptake of sensible, preventative actions to keep well this winter.

Positive cases are still required to isolate for seven days from the day they took their test but an additional reason to leave home has been added - to provide transport for a household member to obtain food, if essential.

But local Member for Eildon, Cindy McLeish said the community deserve certainty and clarity over health measures so local communities can recover and rebuild.

Ms McLeish said, “The Andrews Labor Government must

THE ti idbf come clean and provide straight answers to what advice is being received from the health department and what new mandates and restrictions are being considered.” “People are understandably nervous. “Victorians cannot move forward with the threat of more lockdowns and mandates hanging over our heads. The focus needs to be on recovering and rebuilding Victoria, not going backwards. “Only a Matthew Guy Liberals and Nationals Government will scrap Daniel Andrews lockdown laws and take a common-sense approach to COVID management that gives communities confi dence.” She said the Libs will repeal the pandemic declaration, guarantee no more lockdowns, rule out new mask and vaccine mandates and not impose new work from home orders.

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