Tasmanian COVID Update: Critical worker close contact quarantine exemptions

The Tasmanian government has recognised that ALL veterinary and animal welfare services are highly impacted by COVID, which will assist in allowing veterinary teams to return to work to care for all animals in our community.

“A contingency framework is in place to enable workplaces, identified as essential for the supply of critical goods and services to the community, to register for essential staff to be exempt from the quarantine requirement for close contacts if they are identified as a critical worker.”

There is information to assist people to determine if they are a close contact (meaning lives with, stays overnight or spends more than 4 hours in 24 hours) and how the new changes apply to them.

A factsheet gives information for  “Temporary exemption from close contact quarantine for critical workers” but does not mention Veterinary and animal welfare services, included 28th January.

Veterinary and animal welfare services can obtain information on the eligibility for exemption which includes registering a business with Worksafe for eligibility.  To be eligible, Covid-19 Safety plans must be implemented as well as consideration for a number of other requirements, such as having solutions for staff shortages as a result of quarantine requirements.

Each critical staff member’s work attendance must be registered through Worksafe Tasmania and there are specific requirements for safety and testing including having a negative result on a rapid antigen test prior to attending work each day.  If at any time the exempted worker develops symptoms or tests positive on a rapid antigen test, the exemption no longer applies.

Businesses are responsible for ensuring workers have access to rapid antigen tests to meet the exemption conditions and registered critical businesses can access rapid antigen tests through Government provided services via the registration process. Rapid antigen tests will be delivered to the businesses’ nominated delivery address. For next day deliveries, workplaces are encouraged to register worker attendance prior to midday. Next day delivery may not be possible in remote areas.

The recent AVA COVID-19 survey results can be found here and explains the impact that Covid -19 is having on the veterinary workforce and the wider community.  The AVA HR service has also put together a series of updated resources to help you with managing workplace requirements.   Also, an AVA article on the Vet Voice website for the public on the current pressures facing the delivery of veterinary services. You may find it helpful to share with your clients.