Child Care Subsidy Amendment (Coronavirus Response Measures No. 2) Minister's Rules 2021

• Extends a measure to support approved providers and families in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, by allowing providers to waive “gap fees” for child care services that have been directed to close, until 30 June 2021.

Therapeutic Goods (Adverse Events Following Immunisation) (Information) Specification 2021

• Authorises the release of therapeutic goods information relating to adverse events following immunisation to specified bodies and persons for the purpose of ensuring meaningful and effective participation in meetings on vaccine safety between the TGA, the JICs, NCIRS and SAEFVIC, to support the safety, quality, and safe use of vaccines in Australia.

Public Health Amendment (COVID-19 Spitting and Coughing) Regulation 2021

• Allows for the issue of penalty notices for an offence against Section 10 of the Public Health Act 2010 involving a contravention of a Ministerial direction under the Public Health (COVID-19 Spitting and Coughing) Order 2021 about intentionally spitting or coughing on a public official or other worker in a way that is likely to cause fear about the spread of COVID-19.

Public Health (COVID-19 Air Transportation Quarantine) Order (No 1) 2021

• Repeals and remakes the Public Health (COVID-19 Air Transportation Quarantine) Order (No 3) 2020 with some amendments, including by giving Ministerial directions requiring particular persons arriving in Australia from New Zealand to provide their contact information as required, requiring particular flight crew members who choose to go into quarantine facilities to provide their contact and onward travel details when leaving the quarantine facilities, requiring persons going into quarantine facilities to provide their contact details electronically to Service NSW, and requiring persons who provide transportation services to relevant persons to or from a medical facility to comply with the NSW Testing Program for COVID-19.

Public Health (COVID-19 Maritime Quarantine) Order 2021

• Repeals and remakes, with some changes, the Public Health (COVID-19 Maritime Quarantine) Order (No 4) 2020.

Public Health (COVID-19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement) Amendment Order 2021

• Repeals the Public Health (COVID-19 Aged Care Facilities) Order (No 4) 2020, and requires operators of residential aged care facilities to consider advice from the Chief Health Officer in relation to certain matters, including visitors, face masks and vaccinations.

Public Health (COVID-19 Spitting and Coughing) Order 2021

• Repeals and remakes, with minor amendments, the Public Health (COVID-19 Spitting and Coughing Order (No 4) 2020.

Extension of Operation of Declaration of Public Health Emergency

• Extends the declaration of a public health emergency made on 18 March 2020 for a period of 90 days from 23 March 2021.

Emergency Management (Residential Aged Care Facilities No 33) (COVID-19) Direction 2021

• Prohibits the entry of persons into residential aged care facilities except in certain circumstances, limits the provision of personal care by personal care workers to one facility, and requires such facilities to adopt a Workforce Management Plan and COVID-19 Infection Control Plan, among other things.

Directions in Relation to Persons Arriving in Tasmania

• Requires persons arriving in Tasmania to provide certain information, and to isolate at an accommodation facility if required by an authorised officer, and restricts certain persons from arriving in King Island, Flinders Island or an island in the Furneaux group of islands, among other things.

Direction Under Section 16 - Arrival Requirements for Certain Travellers into Tasmania - No. 6

• Requires certain travellers arriving in Tasmania to undergo clinical assessments, undergo COVID-19 tests and wear a mask.

Direction Under Section 16 (Residential Aged Care Facilities - No. 11)

• Prohibits the entry of persons into residential aged care facilities except in certain circumstances.

Regulation of Aircraft Movement

• Prohibits any aeroplane or aircraft whose flight commenced outside Tasmania from landing at any place within Tasmania other than certain airports (except in the case of an emergency or with prior consent).

Care Facilities Directions (No 25)

• Restricts access to care facilities in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 within a particularly vulnerable population - came into force at 11:59 pm on 15 March 2021.

Diagnosed Persons and Close Contacts Directions (No 18)

• Requires persons diagnosed with COVID-19, and those living with a diagnosed person or in close contact with a diagnosed person, to self-isolate and quarantine - came into force at 11:59 pm on 15 March 2021.

Extension of Declaration of a State of Emergency

• Extends the declaration of a state of emergency made on 16 March 2020 until 11:59 pm on 9 April 2021.

Hospital Visitor Directions (No 22)

• Prohibits non-essential visits and access to hospitals in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 within a particularly vulnerable population - came into force at 11:59 pm on 15 March 2021.

Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (State of Emergency Extension) Act 2021

• Lengthens the total period for which a state of emergency declaration may continue in force in respect of COVID-19 from 12 months to 21 months and extends the period of operation of the COVID-19 temporary measures under Part 13 of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 to 16 December 21.

Public Health Emergency Order under Section 22D (Authorisation for Distribution - COVID-19 Vaccine (Department of Defence))

• Facilitates the COVID-19 VACCINE program by authorising the Department of Defence to obtain, possess or supply COVID-19 VACCINE which is a Schedule 4 poison and relevant Schedule 3 poisons.

Restricted Activity Directions (Victoria) (No 10)

• Restricts the operation of certain businesses and undertakings in the State of Victoria to address the serious public health risk posed to Victoria by COVID-19 - came into force at 11:59 pm on 15 March 2021.

Stay Safe Directions (Victoria) (No 17)

• Requires residents of Victoria to limit interactions with others by restricting gatherings, and to carry and wear face coverings in certain settings - came into force at 11:59 pm on 15 March 2021.

Victorian Border Crossing Permit Directions (No 7)

• Continues to provide a ‘traffic light’ border crossing scheme for persons seeking to enter Victoria from any other State or Territory in Australia or, after entering Australia, from a Green Zone Country, in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 - came into force at 11:59 pm on 15 March 2021.

Workplace (Additional Industry Obligations) Directions (No 19)

• 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 11:59 pm on 15 March 2021.

Workplace Directions (No 22)

• Limits the number of Victorians attending work premises to assist in reducing the frequency and scale of COVID-19 outbreaks and to establish more specific obligations on employers and workers in relation to managing the risk associated with the virus - came into force at 11:59 pm on 15 March 2021.

Extension of Declaration (No. 2) of Public Health State of Emergency

• Extends the public health state of emergency declaration which came into effect on 23 March 2020 for fourteen days.

Extension of State of Emergency Declaration

• Extends the state of emergency declaration made on 15 March 2020 for eight days.

COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 6) 2021

• Moves Auckland from alert level 2 to alert level 1 and keeps the rest of the country at alert level 1.

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

• Exempts certain persons arriving from Niue from Clause 8 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order (No 2) 2020.

Exemption of Persons from Requirements of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 5) 2021

• Declares that persons travelling on a pre-booked public transport service are exempt from Clause 11 (the requirement to wear a face covering) of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 5) 2021.

CASA: 

• COVID Relief Expires Soon - Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Training

Department of Health:

• COVID-19 Vaccine Top 3 Questions ⁠-⁠ COVIDSafe App, Vaccine Lifespan and Impact on other Medication
• Is it True? Countering the Misinformation on COVID-19 Vaccines
• Over $1.1 billion to Extend Australia's COVID-19 Health Response
• Presentation about Australia's COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

SafeWork Australia: 

• 5 Things to Know about Your WHS Duties and COVID-19 Vaccines - Small Businesses

Therapeutic Goods Administration:

• Approval of Updated Storage Conditions for the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine
• AstraZeneca ChAdOx1-S COVID-19 Vaccine: Response to Overseas Precautionary Measures
• COVID-19 Vaccines - Safety and Effectiveness in Older Adults
• Regulation of Thermometers and Other Temperature Measuring Medical Devices and Products for COVID-19

ACT Government:

• 12 Months into COVID-19
• COVID-19 Exposure Sites in Greater Brisbane
• COVID-19 Viral Fragments Detected in City Central Wastewater

NSW Health: 

• New Zealand Arrivals

NT Government:

• COVID-19 Update: Watch and Wait Over Brisbane
• COVID-19 Update: Watch and Wait Over Sydney

Queensland Health: 

• Public Health Alert: PA Hospital

SA Government:

• COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Begins for People with Disability, Front-Line Staff
• Operation COVID Shield Revs Up

Tasmanian Government:

• Advice for Travellers from Brisbane
• Advice for Travellers from Sydney
• COVID-19 Update: New Zealand
• COVID-19 Vaccinations Ready to Begin in Tasmania’s North and North West
• COVID-19 Vaccinations Ready to Begin in Tasmania’s North and North West
• COVID-Safe Event Management
• Further Support for Tourism Industry Welcomed
• Important Community Updates - Updated 14 March 2021
• Tasmanian Vaccine Program on Track and Ready for Next Stage

WA Government:

• COVID-19 Coronavirus: Travel to WA - Updated 14 March 2021
• WA Health Advice Following Confirmed NSW COVID-19 Case
• WA Health Advice Following Confirmed Queensland COVID-19 Case

NZ Government:

• Auckland to Move to Alert Level 1 at Midday
• COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Plan
• IMF Praises Govt’s Decisive and Unprecedented Response to COVID-19 Crisis
• NZDF to Start Vaccinating Its Uniformed Personnel
• Quarantine-free Travel to New Zealand from Niue
• Significant Support goes to Maori and Whānau Most at Risk of COVID-19