The Victorian Government has released the overhauled and updated new rules that now apply for a positive case of COVID-19 in a workplace.

These rules take into account the vaccination rates and aim to reduce the impact of a positive case on a workplace and workers, which is a welcome support to business continuity.

DHHS have developed an easy-to-use Contact Assessment and Management Risk Matrix, that all businesses can use to classify workplace contacts and the actions required.

The model takes into account the use of face masks, vaccination status and duration time.

The employer will now make the assessment of the status of workers following a positive case at their workplace using this table as either:

1. GREEN – Low Risk
2. YELLOW – Close Contact – Fully Vaccinated
3. RED – Close Contact – Un-vaccinated

Under this approach, the quarantine period is now reduced to seven days with a negative COVID test on days one and six – for fully vaccinated persons only.

However, for those contacts that are household close contacts and for all unvaccinated persons the quarantine period will still require the mandatory 14-day isolation period.

DHHS may still (on some occasions) tailor additional outbreak management strategies based on significant transmission events and we will continue to update all NECA members if and when further changes to the rules occur.

If NECA members require assistance in dealing with a positive case at your workplace, contact the NECA Safety Team on 1300 300 031 or via safety@neca.asn.au.