Public Health (Aged Care Workers COVID-19 Vaccination) Emergency Direction 2021 (No 2)

• Limits the spread of COVID-19 within a particularly vulnerable population by restricting the potential that elderly people are exposed to unvaccinated workers within residential aged care facilities.

Public Health (Check In Requirements) Emergency Direction 2021 (No 3)

• Limits the spread of COVID-19 by requiring reliable attendance records, which enable rapid and effective contact tracing.

Public Health (COVID-19 Affected Areas) Emergency Direction 2021 (No 13)

• Sets the requirements for ‘affected persons’, ‘close contacts of affected persons’ who are fully vaccinated, ‘close contacts of affected persons’ who are not fully vaccinated and a person who is not an ‘affected person’ who has been in a ‘casual contact exposure location’, among other things.

Public Health (Emergency) Declaration Further Extension 2021 (No 4)

• Further extends the period during which the Public Health (Emergency) Declaration 2020 (No 1) is in force for a period of 90 days.

Public Health (Mandatory Face Masks) Emergency Direction 2021 (No 6)

• Requires a person who is outside their residence to wear a mask as required by this direction.

Public Health (Restricted Activities) Emergency Direction 2021 (No 6)

• Imposes requirements for restricted and non-restricted businesses, activities and undertakings, and persons arriving in the ACT.

District Court Criminal Practice Note 25 - Applications for Leave for In Person Appearances in Sentence Proceedings

• Allows, with the easing of restrictions and increased vaccination rates, applications for leave to be granted for in person appearances in sentence proceedings which are listed on or after 15 November 2021 - came into force on 15 November 2021.

Public Health (COVID-19 General) Amendment Order (No 9) 2021

• Amends the Public Health (COVID-19 General) Order 2021 to remove the requirement for occupiers of nightclubs or strip clubs in the general area not to allow persons to consume alcohol in an indoor area unless they are seated - came into force on 10 November 2021.

COVID-19 Directions (No. 81) 2021: Amendments to COVID-19 Directions (No. 55) 2021

• Makes changes to the definition for ‘person conducting a business or undertaking’, changes the evidence required for evidence of a contraindication to all approved COVID-19 vaccines to a certificate issued by the Commonwealth (removing a medical certificate issued by a medical practitioner), makes additional requirements regarding registers, and clarifies that a PCBU under Directions 10, 13 and 15 do not apply in relation to volunteers, contactors, subcontractors and other workers as described.

COVID-19 Directions (No. 83) 2021: Directions for Low Vaccinated Communities

• Requires persons entering a low vaccinated community within 14 days of being in specified LGA’s to wear a face mask as required.

COVID-19 Directions (No. 84) 2021: Amendment to COVID-19 Directions (No. 74) 2021

• Amends the COVID-19 Directions (No. 74) 2021 by omitting 13 November 2021 from Direction 1(a) and inserting 15 November 2021.

COVID-19 Directions (No. 85) 2021: Directions to Lock Down Katherine

• Closes certain businesses and community centres and requires residents of Katherine to stay at home, wear a mask outside of their home and only leave for the 5 permitted reasons.

COVID-19 Directions (No. 86) 2021: Directions to Lock Down Robinson River and Homelands

• Closes certain businesses and community centres and requires residents of Robinson River and homelands bounded by the specified coordinates to stay at home, wear a mask outside of their home and only leave for the 5 permitted reasons.

COVID-19 Directions (No. 87) 2021: Directions for Aged Care Facilities in Katherine

• Limits access to aged care facilities and requires those who do enter or remain on the premises of an aged care facility to wear a mask and sets the requirements for testing, vaccination and the collection of information.

Border Restrictions Direction (No. 54)

• Sets the requirements for persons entering Queensland generally, and from non-restricted border zones and restricted border zones, among other things.

Home Quarantine for Household Members of a Domestic Traveller from a COVID-19 hotspot Direction

• Establishes a requirement to home quarantine and the quarantine conditions for a household member of a domestic traveller completing home quarantine at a private residence.

Quarantine for International Arrivals Direction (No. 15)

• Sets the quarantine requirements for international arrivals.

Use of Technology to Support Home Quarantine Direction (No.2)

• Requires people who are either directed by an emergency officer (public health) or required under another public health direction to quarantine at home to comply with text message compliance checks which provide an avenue for welfare checks and support to people in quarantine.

Workers in a Healthcare Setting (COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements) Direction

• Sets out the COVID-19 vaccination requirements for workers in healthcare, their employers and responsible persons in healthcare settings, with limited exceptions.

Approval of Extension of a Major Emergency Declaration Under Section 23

• Further extends the Major Emergency Declaration for a period of 28 days commencing 13 November 2021.

Emergency Management (Cross Border Travel - General No 2) (COVID-19) Direction

• Ensures that people arriving in the State, or who have recently arrived in the State, are subject to requirements and restrictions, or to prohibitions, appropriate to the level of risk associated with locations visited by them prior to their arrival, by establishing a range of control measures that may be applied to defined classes of arrivals by subsequent associated directions under Section 25 of the Emergency Management Act 2004.

Direction Under Section 16 - Arrival Requirements for Certain Travellers into Tasmania - No. 11

• Imposes requirements for travellers arriving in Tasmania in relation to clinical assessments, testing, and wearing masks, among other things.

Direction Under Section 16 - Vaccination Requirements for Certain Workers - No. 9

• Requires workers at residential aged care facilities, quarantine sites, and medical or health facilities, and workers providing quarantine transport services or high intensity supports to an NDIS participant, to be sufficiently vaccinated, among other things.

Diagnosed Persons and Close Contacts Directions (No. 33)

• Requires persons diagnosed with COVID-19 to self-isolate and those who are living with a diagnosed person, or who have been in close contact with a diagnosed person, to self-quarantine in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 - came into force at 6 pm on 11 November 2021.

Victorian Border Crossing Permit Directions (No. 38)

• Continues to provide a ‘traffic light’ border crossing scheme for persons seeking to enter Victoria from any other State or Territory in Australia and also provides a scheme for persons entering Australia as an international passenger arrival or international aircrew service worker, in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 - came into force at 6 pm on 11 November 2021.

Workplace (Additional Industry Obligations) Directions (No. 56)

• Establishes additional specific obligations on employers and workers in specific industries in relation to managing the risk associated with COVID-19 - came into force at 6 pm on 11 November 2021.

Workplace Directions (No. 55)

• Limits the number of Victorians attending Work Premises to assist in reducing the frequency and scale of COVID-19 outbreaks in Victorian workplaces and establishes more specific obligations on employers and workers in relation to managing the risk of COVID-19 - came into force at 6 pm on 11 November 2021.

Chief Health Officer Approval to Request COVID-19 Testing on Persons Who are Presenting to be Tested Under the Outbreak Outside of Western Australia Response Directions (No 12)

• Gives approval to medical practitioners and persons duly and properly engaged to collect specimens at a COVID Clinic to request a COVID-19 test as an approved requester.

Chief Health Officer Approved Form of Evidence of COVID-19 Vaccination Under Paragraphs 7 and 8 of the Leavers Event Area (Restrictions on Access) Directions (No 2)

• Approves the specified forms of evidence as the true and correct evidence that must be produced by a school leaver or leavers event worker of their vaccination status for the purposes of paragraphs 7 and 9 of the Leavers Event Area (Restrictions on Access) Directions (No 2).

Chief Health Officer Approved Form of Evidence of COVID-19 Vaccination Under Paragraph 7 of the Community Care Services Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions

• Approves the specified forms of evidence as evidence that must be provided by a community care services worker of their vaccination status for the purposes of paragraph 7 of the Community Care Services Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions.

Controlled Border for Western Australia Amendment Directions (No 47)

• Amends the Controlled Border for Western Australia Directions and are for the purpose of preventing the importation of COVID-19 into WA and otherwise limiting the spread of COVID-19 in WA.

Fire and Emergency Services Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions

• Puts in place some measures to address the unique risks posed by COVID-19 in the context of fire and emergency services workers given their close interactions with vulnerable groups and the broader community for the purposes of limiting the spread of COVID-19 and to ensure that workers can continue to provide critical services to the community.

Leavers Event Area (Restrictions on Access) Directions (No 2)

• Puts in place some measures to address the unique risks posed by COVID-19 at leavers event areas in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 in WA.

Meat Industry Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions

• Puts in place some measures to address the unique risks posed by COVID-19 at meat industry sites in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 in WA.

Outbreak Outside of Western Australia Response Directions (No 12)

• Helps prevent the importation of COVID-19 into WA following an outbreak or outbreaks of COVID-19 outside of WA, and to otherwise limit the spread of COVID-19 in WA.

Resources Industry Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions (No 2)

• Puts in place some measures to address the unique risks posed by COVID-19 from the mobile nature of the workforce on rural and remote mine sites and oil and gas facilities for the purpose of limiting the spread of COVID-19 in WA.

Transport, Freight and Logistics Directions (No 7)

• Sets out the requirements that apply to a transport, freight and logistics driver who enters or intends to enter WA and are for the purpose of preventing the importation of COVID-19 into WA and otherwise limiting the spread of COVID-19 in WA.

WA Police Force Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions

• Puts in place some measures to address the unique risks posed by COVID-19 from the WA Police workforce for the purpose of preventing the spread of COVID-19 to vulnerable groups and the general community in WA and to ensure that the WA Police Force can continue to provide critical services to the community.

Appendix 1 - Notice for Phase 1 of Point-of-Care Testing Programme

• Specifies certain classes of persons or class of persons to import, supply and sell point-of-care tests for COVID-19 for the purposes of Clause 8 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Point-of-care Tests) Order 2021 (Order) and certain point-of-care tests or class of point-of-care tests that are exempt from clause 7(b) of the Order.

Corrigendum - Provisional Consent to the Distribution of a New Medicine

• Replaces the notice Provisional Consent to the Distribution of a New Medicine as published in the New Zealand Gazette, 11 November 2021, Notice No. 2021-go4895, by adding an additional manufacturer’s site as specified.

COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 12) Amendment Order (No 14) 2021

• Returns the upper Northland area to alert level 2 from 11:59 pm on 11 November 2021, provides for all primary and secondary school students to physically return to classrooms in alert level 3 areas and allows performers, while they are working as such, to remove face coverings as specified, adds to the list of people exempted from the Order including Land Search and Rescue and Amateur Radio Emergency Communications staff while providing lifesaving, maritime assistance and search and rescue services and allows travel between alert level 3 areas for people working for the Transport Accident Investigation Commission for the purpose of carrying out essential work, among other thing.

COVID-19 Public Health Response (Isolation and Quarantine and Maritime Border) Amendment Order 2021

• Reduces the period for which people at a managed isolation or quarantine facility are required to be isolated or quarantined in that facility, subject to a period of self-isolation once they leave the facility and also reduces from 14 days to 10 days the period for which participants in the self-isolation programme are required to self-isolate and reduces the 14-day periods in that order to 10 days, including the period for which a person who arrives in New Zealand on board a ship must remain in isolation or quarantine.

COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Amendment Order (No 4) 2021

• Amends the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021, which requires persons belonging to specified groups who carry out certain work to be vaccinated, extending the period for which FENZ personnel working in the health and disability sector, or at or for affected education services, are treated as vaccinated, among other things.

Exemption of Persons from Clause 8(3) of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order (No 2) 2020

• Exempts persons satisfying the specified criteria from Clause 8(3) of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order (No 2) 2020.

Provisional Consent to the Distribution of a New Medicine

• Provisionally consents to the sale, supply or use in New Zealand of the new medicine COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca until 29 April 2022, subject to the specified conditions.

Specified COVID-19 Vaccination Exemption Criteria

• Determines the criteria in Schedule 1 as specified COVID-19 vaccination exemption criteria.

Department of Health:

• AHPPC Statement on the Role of Face Masks to Protect Individuals and the Community from COVID-19
• ATAGI Update Following Weekly COVID-19 Meeting - 10 November 2021
• Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) Statement on COVID-19, Schools and Early Childhood Education and Care
• Australians Should Embrace Reopening - with Confidence
• COVID-19 Vaccination Information Kiosks Open Now in QLD, SA, and WA
• Top 3 COVID-19 vaccine questions - Blood Donating and Booster, Long COVID & Vaccine Necessity
• Vaccine Operations Centre - Weekly Operational Update - 8 November 2021

Prime Minister of Australia:

• Additional Vaccines for Indonesia’s Recovery

Therapeutic Goods Administration: 

• Moderna’s COVID-19 VACCINE (SPIKEVAX) - Provisional Determination Granted for Proposed Use in Children and Booster Shot for Adults Under Evaluation

ACT Government:

• The ACT’s Pathway Forward

ACT Health:

• Pop-up Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics

NSW Government:

• Easier Access to Residential Tenancy Support Package Rebates
• Fully Vaccinated International Students to Return Quarantine-Free.
• NSW Government to Save Business Half Billion Dollar COVID Bill
• Support for COVID-19 Impacted Renters Extended

NSW Health:

• Elective Surgery to Return to Full Capacity for Patients in Greater Sydney

NT Government:

• COVID-19 Update: Katherine Mask Mandate Extended
• Lockdown Restrictions in Place
• North Island in NZ Declared a Hotspot
• Positive Cases in the NT, Lockdowns in Katherine, Robinson River and surrounds
• Positive Wastewater in Katherine, Darwin to Exit Mask Mandate
• Tenders Released to Boost Gold Standard Quarantine Facility
• Territory Check In App Updated to Link to Vaccine Certificate
• Territory Tourism Vouchers to Rollout for Vaccinated Territorians
• Wastewater Testing and 15.5l Territorians Link Their Vaccination Status to the Territory Check In App

Queensland Government:

• Border Rules Relaxed as Vax Target Hit Earlier Than Planned
• Home Quarantine for Domestic Travellers
• Masks Off Safely at 80%
• School Vaccination Clinics are Back
• Vaccinated Queenslanders Rewarded with Life as Normal

Queensland Health:

• Greater Katherine Named as Hotspot

SA Government:

• Full Vaccination Status to Limit Quarantine Time for South Australians
• Multicultural Push for Vaccination

Business Tasmania:

• COVID-19 Micro and Small Business - Border Closure Critical Support Grant Round 2

Tasmanian Government:

• COVID-19 Case and Outbreak Management
• COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Certain Disability Support Workers
• Important Community Updates
• Living in a COVID-19 Vaccinated Community: Preparing Your Business for COVID-19 Cases and Outbreaks
• Travel to Tasmania

Victorian Government:

• Free Rapid Antigen Tests for Early Childhood Services
• Ginkgo to Help Victoria Grow mRNA Vaccine Capabilities
• Helping More Victorians Access COVID-19 Vaccinations
• Setting the Scene for a Summer of Live Music
• Seventy School Vaccine Pop-Ups Finish Top of the Class

Department of Health:

• Community Care Services Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions Exemption Guidelines
• Health Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions (No 3) Exemption Guidelines
• Leavers Event Area (Restrictions on Access) Directions (No 2) Exemption Guidelines
• Resources Industry Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions Exemption Guidelines

WA Government:

• New COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Opens in Ellenbrook
• School Leavers Required to Show Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination

NZ Government:

• All Schools Can Return to Onsite Learning
• Booster Vaccine Available from End of November
• Changes to Isolation to Reflect Vaccination Status
• New Zealand Team Deployed to Papua New Guinea to Support COVID-19 Response
• Trade Minister to Represent New Zealand at Key Indo-Pacific Economy and Multilateral Trade Meetings
• Waikato to Move to Alert Level 2
• Schools, Kura and Early Learning Given Space to Build Back from COVID-19

WHO:

• Global Progress Against Measles Threatened Against COVID-19 Pandemic
• International Organisations, Vaccine Manufacturers Take Stock of COVID-19 Vaccine Roll Out, Share Views for 2022
• WHO, Faith Partners and National Governments - Supporting National Responses to COVID-19