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Victorian airline staff deemed a COVID-19 close contact but who do not have symptoms have been given the go-ahead to return to work.
The state’s health department confirmed that from Tuesday, air transport service workers including pilots, crew, airport security and baggage handlers will be exempt from close contact isolation.
That means workers who have no symptoms and return negative rapid antigen tests will be able to attend work.
Staff will need to take RATs for five days and will be obliged to continue to follow isolation rules while not at work.
If the worker develops symptoms or tests positive on a RAT, the exemption no longer applies.
NSW scrapped the isolation requirement for close contact airline staff on Monday.
The decision to allow asymptomatic COVID-19 close contacts to return to work comes as travellers continue to face long lines at Melbourne Airport.
The airport’s chief executive Lyell Strambi told the ABC recent days have brought the airport’s busiest period since before the pandemic, thanks to the return of the Australian Grand Prix and the Easter school holidays.
He said close contact isolation rules were contributing to staff shortages and delays.
‘The people who work at the airport really do want to do the right thing,” he said on Tuesday morning.
‘They’re doing the best they can. It is going to take some time to come out of this.’
Daily COVID-19 virus case numbers in Australia appear to be on a downward trend, although NSW is still racking up counts above 10,000.
The total number of new infections dropped for a fourth consecutive day on Monday, with 41,806 new infections and five deaths recorded across the nation.
Meanwhile, Australians stuck in virus isolation on election day as a confirmed case or close contact will still be able to cast their vote.
For the first federal election of the COVID-19 era, the Australian Electoral Commission is working on a nation-first telephone voting system for those subject to isolation orders on the day of the May 21 poll.
Voters who miss pre-polling and postal vote options will have to make a declaration they are subject to a health order to access the emergency measure.
LATEST 24-HOUR COVID-19 DATA FROM ACROSS AUSTRALIA:
NSW: 15,334 cases, 11 deaths, 1584, in hospital, 70 in ICU
Victoria: 10,293 cases, 12 deaths, 376 in hospital, 19 in ICU.