Businesses are set to receive clarity today around Western Australia's close contact rules, something they say leaves them more vulnerable to shutdowns than other states and territories.
WA Premier Mark McGowan is expected to announce plans for new definitions and protocols around close contacts and isolation requirements as the state learns to live with Omicron.
In December, a national definition was agreed upon whereby a person is deemed a close contact if they live in the same house or spend four hours or longer with a COVID 19-positive case in a household or household-like setting.
But that definition was not adopted in WA, where a close contact is currently defined as someone who has had face-to-face contact or has shared a close space with a positive case, for any amount of time.
It means businesses in WA have been operating under more onerous circumstances than in other states or territories, with staff more likely to be deemed as close contacts and be required to isolate.
Businesses have warned this could lead to shutdowns through staff shortages when COVID-19 becomes prevalent in WA.
South Australia is the only other state to resist adopting the national definition by developing their own, with people needing to be in contact with a positive case for 15 minutes or more without a mask, among other criteria, to be categorised as a close contact.
Businesses call for certainty
As community spread increases in WA, businesses have been calling for clarity on the rules regarding close contacts and isolation requirements.
David Heaton is the CEO of Capitol Corp, owner of several hospitality and entertainment venues in Perth.
Mr Heaton said it had been difficult to operate due to the risk of staff needing to isolate.
"We're just looking for a bit of certainty … particularly as COVID starts to spread through the community," he said.
Mr Heaton said that under WA's current definition of a close contact, a positive case in one of his venues would cripple his business.
"I think we'd last about two weeks, given that if someone presents themselves at one of our venues, everyone that's on shift that day is essentially a close contact so it wipes out the whole shift," he said.
"It would be devastating to us."
Premier warns of fuelling spread
Mr McGowan has flagged the dangers of changing the definition but said it would be discussed alongside isolation requirements at today's state disaster council meeting.
"When you bring those things in you can enhance the spread of the virus, because people go to work far more quickly, and far more often," he said.
"It enhances spread but ensures businesses, potentially, can stay open.
"When you bring it in, it has to be when there are larger numbers of cases than we have currently in Western Australia."
WA urged to fall in line
Businesses with a national footprint have different measures for stores outside of WA.
Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra hoped every state would move towards a national framework for dealing with COVID-19.
"It's important there's national consistency around COVID protocols and we'd encourage the WA government to adopt the close contact definition that's in place in other jurisdictions," he said.
"A source of frustration throughout the pandemic has been the states and territories going in different directions around COVID protocols.
"Some businesses could stay open in one part of the country, but had to close in another.
Mr Heaton agreed with moving towards a more consistent approach across Australia.
"The national definition does the job. I think we should all be uniformed across Australia with that definition," he said.
