Doctors fear isolation rule changes could spark virus outbreak

THE nation’s top doctors have warned that a change to isolation rules could result in another “out-of-control” Covid-19 outbreak that will put pressure on the nation’s health systems.

A decision to reduce the mandatory isolation period for positive cases from seven to five days was made at Wednesday’s national cabinet meeting.

“We’ll get out of control,” NSW Australian Medical Association president Michael Bonning said on Friday, adding that changing the isolation rules would probably increase cases and the speed at which the virus spreads throughout the community.

“What we see with health advice is people at day five are highly likely to still be infectious,” Dr Bonning said.

“Probably 30 per cent of people are infectious on day six and seven.

“If that means visiting grandma in a nursing home or means going to work and affecting other people, that is actually likely to be a problem for workplaces.”

However, Dr Bonning said it was unlikely an outbreak would reach the same level as the one in NSW in January this year, as higher vaccination and infection rates would supply a level of protection. The AMA has called on Anthony Albanese to release the health advice supporting his decision to shorten the isolation period.

“We are in a situation where the advice is bending to the will of politics at this point in time,” Dr Bonning said.

The Prime Minister defended his decision, saying all of the state and territory chief health officers came to a “common position” on the matter. He clarified that the isolation change only applied to people who no longer had symptoms after five days.

Workers in high-risk settings must still isolate for seven days.

“When people are sick, if they have any symptoms, then they shouldn't be at work,” Mr Albanese said.

AMA president Steve Robson was highly critical of the move on Thursday, calling for Mr Albanese to release the health advice.

He said the shorter isolation would have “enormous potential ramifications” for Australia’s healthcare system.

“We’re seeing huge effects on the workforce from long Covid at the moment, so it’s very different to other infectious diseases and it needs to be treated differently,” Professor Robson said.