The emergency management declaration is to be lifted by 30 June following the passage of amendments to the Public Health Act, enabling South Australia to move out of a state of emergency and return to a relative normal.
Announced by Premier, Peter Malinauskas, the legislation, which was passed on 19 May, follows the removal of COVID restrictions with close contacts of COVID cases no longer having to quarantine, and masks only required for high-risk settings including hospitals.
Mr Malinauskas said that while the declaration had ended, there were some measures that would be carried over to protect the most vulnerable South Australians in high-risk settings who are most at risk of serious illness if they contracted COVID.
He said the amendments to the Public Health Act 2011 would ensure the measures could continue, including vaccination, mask wearing and other infection control measures in hospitals, aged and disability care, and other healthcare settings.
He said the amendments would also allow specific requirements to be set for COVID-positive people and close contacts.
“The Government will ensure this amended legislation is not as broad in power but is limited to specific settings, and compared with the emergency declaration, this legislation does not allow for the imposition of restrictions such as lockdowns, hospitality restrictions and broad mask mandates,” the Premier said.
“This would require the declaration of another emergency.”
Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Chris Picton said that continuing COVID-safe measures in high-risk settings would also enable SA Health to monitor and keep on top of any outbreaks and to act quickly to protect South Australians.
“This will also support health, disability and aged care operators in protecting their patients and residents and preventing outbreaks of COVID in aged care homes, disability care homes and hospitals and other health settings,” Mr Picton said.
