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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced more changes to close contact rules to ease the pressure on workforce and supply chain shortages.
Speaking after a National Cabinet meeting, Mr Morrison said the list of people who can return to work with a negative rapid antigen test result after being deemed a close contact has been expanded.
"The most immediate extension to that is to all transport, freight and logistics employees," he said.
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"Not just those directly involved in food distribution, all in the transport, freight and logistics centre.
"That will include those who work at service stations. To ensure that they can continue to be staffed and people can get access to those services."
Mr Morrison said the extension also covers all healthcare and support, as well as emergency services, including law enforcement, correctional services, energy resources and water and waste management.
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Food, beverage, and other workers in the critical supply chain will also be included, but this does not extend to hospitality workers.
"Telecommunication, data, broadcasting, and media" will also now be included in the list of workers who can return to work if they are a close contact, but return a rapid antigen test, the prime minister said.
Return to school 'absolutely essential'
Mr Morrison said it was very important for schools to return for Term 1 despite the high number of COVID-19 cases
"It is absolutely essential for schools to go back, safely, and to remain safely open if we are not to see any further exacerbation of the workforce challenges we are currently facing," he said.
"Schools open means shops open. Schools open means hospitals are open, it means aged care facilities are open, it means essential services and groceries are on the shelves. That is what schools open means, and it's very important they go back."
He added schools should be "first to open and last to close wherever possible and face-to-face learning prioritised".
Mr Morrison said the National Cabinet would have more information around the details on returning to school for parents and teachers next week.
"We did have a serious discussion about that today, and the advice from the medical expert panel. We will be confirming our views on that over the course of the next week," he said.
Source: 9News
