The Victorian Chamber welcomes today’s State Government announcement that it will further ease COVID-19 restrictions from 11.59pm on Friday, 22 April 2022.
From this weekend, masks can come off for hospitality, retail and personal services workers, household contacts will no longer be required to isolate if they test negative to COVID-19 and are not experiencing symptoms and businesses will no longer be required to check the vaccination status of customers.
The development follows a strong Victorian Chamber advocacy campaign for the changes.
Masks will still be required in health and public transport settings and optional in all other settings.
To be attributed to Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Paul Guerra:
“The Victorian Chamber is delighted that today’s State Government announcement will put COVID-19 in the rear-view mirror and empowers business to accelerate into our recovery, leaving masks, check-in baggage and strict isolation requirements behind.
“It is exactly the right step from the State Government and passes the baton for the State’s recovery back to the business sector. It is a bold step, but it is a necessary step, and it is one that the Victorian Chamber has been pushing for over recent weeks.
“Hospitality, retail and personal services staff will relish being able to go mask free and no longer having to check the vaccination status of their customers and clients. The scrapping of isolation requirements for household contacts who test negative will have a huge positive impact on the current issues business faces around staff shortages.
“Importantly, we will now see the alignment of restriction levels for Australia’s two largest economies – Victoria and NSW. The handbrake is off, the light is green and we are ready to accelerate into our post-pandemic recovery.”
