The easing of COVID restrictions in Victoria that took effect at 11.59 on Friday have been welcomed by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) as further sign that the pandemic is nearly over and business can take part in the process of recovery in the state.
VCCI Chief Executive Paul Guerra said the move was needed for the state’s economic recovery and came in the wake of a strong advocacy campaign by the organisation.
He said the announcement would “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.”
Under the new guidelines workers in the hospitality, retail and personal service industries would no longer be required to wear masks; household contacts would no longer be required to go into isolation should they test negative for COVID-19 and experience no symptoms. Businesses will also no longer be required to check customers’ vaccination status.
“It is exactly the right step … 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,” Mr Guerra said.
