The National Cabinet has agreed in-principle on a plan to transition Australia’s COVID-19 response from its current pre-vaccination settings to post-vaccination settings.
Prime Minister, Scott Morrison said Government’s response had been focused on continued suppression of community transmission and the new National Plan would see that focus shift towards the prevention of serious illness and the public health management of other infectious diseases.
Mr Morrison said the beginning of each phase in the four-phase Plan would be triggered by the achievement of vaccination thresholds, expressed as a percentage of the eligible population (those aged over 16 years).
He said the country was currently in Phase A of the Plan, Vaccinate, Prepare and Pilot, which focused on the continued suppression of the virus for the purpose of minimising community transmission.
Mr Morrison said Phase B, Post Vaccination, would seek to minimise serious illness, hospitalisation and fatality as a result of COVID-19.
He said measures would include the easing of restrictions for vaccinated residents; lockdown only in extreme circumstances; restoring inbound passenger caps; and a capped entry for student and economic visa holders.
The Prime Minister said Phases C and D would see the management of COVID-19 become consistent with the public health management of other infectious diseases and a further easing of travel restrictions.
“National Cabinet agreed that the COVID-19 Risk Analysis and Response Task Force be tasked to make recommendations on finalising the Plan, including recommended vaccination targets for each phase of the Plan based on the modelling,” Mr Morrison said.
The National Cabinet’s one-page Plan can be accessed at this PS News link.
