Based on the latest health advice, New South Wales will be further elevated to the new 'extreme risk' category from 12.01am Thursday, August 26, 2021.
With case numbers continuing to increase in New South Wales, and the situation unlikely to improve significantly in the short term, the WA Chief Health Officer has determined the need to elevate conditions on NSW arrivals.
This means that under the new 'extreme risk' category, travel from New South Wales to Western Australia will not be permitted.
Under this category, the exemptions for approved travellers has been further restricted to Commonwealth and State officials, Members of Parliament, Diplomats and specialist or extraordinary circumstances determined by the State Emergency Coordinator or the Chief Health Officer, and these approved travellers are subject to the following conditions, unless otherwise advised:
- undertake mandatory hotel quarantine at a State quarantine facility for 14 days at their expense;
- get tested for COVID-19 on days one, five and 13;
- have returned a negative COVID-19 PCR test in the past 72 hours;
- receipt of at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, if eligible.
Under the extreme risk setting, if a Western Australian returning from overseas falls into one of the above categories, is approved to enter WA and has completed 14 days of supervised quarantine in NSW they will be required to undergo 14 days of self-quarantine in a suitable premise.
The trigger for review which guides the implementation of an 'extreme risk' classification is a 500 case rolling average over five or 14 days, which has been met.
The Chief Health Officer will continue to monitor the situation and provide advice on border controls.
WA's border arrangements are enacted under the Emergency Management Act and failure to follow these directions will be enforceable by law, with penalties ranging from $1,000 infringements to up to $50,000 fines for individuals.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
"Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by the growing outbreak in NSW.
"It's heartbreaking what is happening over east.
"As the situation there continues to escalate we need to do everything we can to better handle the risk to our State following NSW's growing outbreak.
"This time last week, I announced changes to WA's controlled border regime to better recognise the crisis in NSW.
"We did not anticipate we would have to use the new extreme risk category for some time, however, following the latest health advice we've had to make the tough decision to transition NSW to the new extreme risk category under WA's controlled border arrangements.
"This means Western Australians who are eligible under compassionate reasons under the current arrangements who want to come home need to do so now because once the reclassification kicks in next week, they will not be able to do so.
"This change will be disruptive and frustrating for many however, I won't stand for COVID outbreaks being brought into WA from growing outbreaks in the NSW community.
"We don't take this situation lightly however my priority is the health of Western Australians first and foremost and we need to use every tool available to us to keep COVID-19 out of our community."
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
"WA has been so fortunate to eradicate COVID from the community so we need to do everything we can to protect our position and ultimately protect the health of Western Australians.
"We all need to stay the course particularly when it comes to this deadly virus that continues to run rampant everywhere else.
"Please stay home if you're unwell, get tested if you develop symptoms and get the COVID-19 vaccine if you're eligible."
