The government is now operating in accordance with the Guidance on Caretaker Conventions, pending the outcome of the 2025 federal election.

Australian Health Protection Committee (AHPC)

AHPC statements

The Australian Health Protection Committee (AHPC) publish statements that provide advice on the coronavirus pandemic.

General statements

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

  • 20 October – End of COVID-19 emergency response
  • 25 August 2023 – Advice to support safe cruising
  • 8 September 2022 – Statement on reduced isolation period for COVID-19 cases
  • 8 July 2022 – Statement on COVID-19 winter update and ongoing health protection measures to support our community 
  • 14 June 2022 – Statement on the Removal of Mask Mandates in Airports
  • 23 May 2022 – Statement on national principles for modified quarantine
  • 31 March 2022 – Statement on winter season preparedness
  • 20 January 2022 – Statement on rapid antigen testing for current high community prevalence environment
  • 30 December 2021 – Statement on testing, tracing, isolating and quarantining in high levels of COVID-19 community transmission
  • 7 December 2021 – Statement on national principles for end-to-end best practice managed quarantine arrangements for international travellers
  • 15 November 2021 – Statement on the role of face masks to protect individuals and the community from COVID-19
  • 12 October 2021 – Statement on recommendations for managing COVID-19 health risks
  • 1 October 2021 – Statement on on the role of ventilation in reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19
  • 4 November 2020 – Statement on very high risk social environments
  • 3 September 2020 – Statement on the Infection Control Expert Group
  • 29 May 2020 – Statement on tobacco use, e-cigarette use and COVID-19

Historical/archived statements

These statements have been superseded and no longer reflect current AHPPC advice.

  • 16 March 2022 – Mandating vaccination for disability support workers
  • 15 February 2022 – Mandating booster vaccination for residential aged care workers
  • 10 January 2022 – AHPPC interim guidance on permissions and restrictions for workers in food and grocery supply
  • 10 November 2021 – Statement on mandatory vaccination for disability support workers

  • 10 November 2021 – Statement on mandatory vaccination of aged care in-home and community aged care workers

  • 22 December 2021 – Statement on the Omicron public health implications and response options
  • 15 November 2021 – Statement on COVID-19, schools and early childhood education and care
  • 1 October 2021 – Statement on COVID-19, schools and reopening Australia
  • 1 October 2021 – Statement on mandatory vaccination of all workers in health care settings
  • 1 October 2021 – Statement on visitation in residential aged care facilities
  • 2 September 2021 – Statement on National Principles for Managed Quarantine
  • 26 July 2021 – Statement on minimising the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools
  • 9 July 2021 – Statement on public health management of persons fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2
  • 9 July 2021 – Statement on vaccination arrangements for workers in mobile workforce
  • 9 July 2021 – Statement on National Principles for Infection Prevention and Control in Quarantine
  • 9 July 2021 – Statement on mandating vaccination among residential disability support workers
  • 7 July 2021 – Statement on National Principles for Managed Quarantine
  • 7 July 2021 – Statement on testing travellers once they leave managed quarantine
  • 29 June 2021 – Statement on residential aged care worker COVID-19 vaccination
  • 29 June 2021 – Statement on vaccinating and testing quarantine workers
  • 29 June 2021 – Statement on minimising the risk of transmission from high risk international travellers in managed quarantine facilities
  • 7 June 2021 – Statement on national principles for managed quarantine
  • 4 June 2021 – Statement on COVID-19 vaccination requirements for aged care workers
  • 14 April 2021 – Statement on continuous learning in managed quarantine for international arrivals
  • 3 February 2021 – Updated statement on minimising the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools
  • 23 January 2021 – Statement on COVID-19 and influenza vaccination requirements for aged care workers
  • 8 January 2021 – Statement on wearing masks on domestic flights
  • 8 January 2021 – Statement on management of COVID-19 variants
  • 8 January 2021 – Statement on safe air travel
  • 24 December 2020 – Statement on Australia’s National Hotel Quarantine Principles
  • 24 December 2020 – Statement on mandatory quarantine for aircrew who are not local residents
  • 22 December 2020 – Statement on new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19
  • 17 November 2020 – Statement on COVID-19: Routine Testing of Hotel Quarantine Workers
  • 18 September 2020 – Statement on boarding students and students living in border zones
  • 2 September 2020 – Statement on very high risk environments
  • 22 August 2020 – Statement on the national COVID-19 response for residential aged care facilities
  • 21 August 2020 – Updated statement on the role of asymptomatic testing
  • 3 August 2020 – Statement expressing support for additional measures to improve the current state of the COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria
  • 24 July 2020 – Statement on strategic direction
  • 20 July 2020 – Recommendations for the resumption of community sport
  • 13 July 2020 – Statement on review of hotel quarantine arrangements
  • 6 July 2020 – Statement on recommendations for managing of health risk as COVID-19 measures lift
  • 26 June 2020  – Statement on hotel quarantine
  • 26 June 2020  – Statement on the review of physical distancing and person density restrictions
  • 26 June 2020 – Statement on the safe return of crowds to stadiums, arenas and large theatres
  • 21 June 2020 –  Statement on recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in Victoria
  • 19 June 2020 – Statement to update residential aged care facilities about minimising the impact of COVID-19
  • 17 June 2020 – Statement on risk management for boarding schools and school‑based residential colleges
  • 17 June 2020 – Statement on preliminary media reports of the results of a randomised trial of the use of dexamethasone
  • 11 June 2020 – Statement on positive coronavirus test in person who attended protest in Victoria
  • 5 June 2020 – Statement on on large gatherings and the need for continued caution
  • 25 May 2020 – Statement on early childhood and learning centres
  • 15 May 2020 – Statement on restoration of elective surgery and hospital activity 
  • 14 May 2020 – Statement on the utility of testing for COVID-19 to reduce the requirement for 14 days of quarantine
  • 14 May 2020 – Statement on Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome
  • 14 May 2020 – Statement on the role of asymptomatic testing
  • 5 May 2020 – Statement on the resumption of sport and recreation activities
  • 1 May 2020 – Statement on risk management for re-opening boarding schools and school-based residential colleges
  • 24 April 2020 – Statement on the use of PPE in hospital with patients with COVID-19
  • 24 April 2020 – Advice on reducing the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools (supersedes advice from 16 April 2020)
  • 24 April 2020 – Statement on the recommencement of kidney transplantation
  • 24 April 2020 – Updated advice regarding schools
  • 23 April 2020 – Statement on restoration of elective surgery
  • 21 April 2020 – Advice for residential aged care facilities
  • 16 April 2020 – Statement on next phase of modelling
  • 16 April 2020 – Advice on reducing the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools
  • 9 April 2020 – Statement about management of health risks for Australian crew on international flights
  • 7 April 2020 – Advice on off-label medicines for treatment and prophylaxis of COVID-19
  • 7 April 2020 – Statement on rapid point of care lateral flow devices to detect antibodies to SARS-COV-2
  • 7 April 2020 – Statement on healthcare worker use of PPE when caring for suspected, or confirmed COVID-19 patients
  • 7 April 2020 – Statement on home isolation
  • 7 April 2020 – Statement on organ donation and transplantation during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • 3 April 2020 – COVID-19 in children and early childhood and learning centres
  • 30 March 2020 – Special provisions for vulnerable people in the workplace
  • 30 March 2020 – States and territories may introduce additional measures to control community transmission
  • 25 March 2020 – School immunisation programs and dental services
  • 24 March 2020 – Progressive scaling up of social distancing measures
  • 24 March 2020 – Temporary suspension of all non-urgent elective surgery
  • 22 March 2020 – Further short-term social distancing measures
  • 21 March 2020 – Revised criteria for release from isolation
  • 18 March 2020 – Early learning and childcare; public gatherings
  • 18 March 2020 – Travel restrictions
  • 17 March 2020 – Education sector, residential aged care facilities, community sport, ANZAC Day ceremonies and events, and bulk purchase of supplies
  • 13 March 2020 – Public gatherings and testing
  • 12 March 2020 – Testing and work restriction for health and aged care workers
  • 11 March 2020 – Maintain border measures and travel restrictions
  • 8 March 2020 – Public events, release of personal information of COVID-19 patients and their close contacts
  • 4 March 2020 – International travellers and the risk of COVID-19 importation
  • 29 February 2020 – Travellers from Iran and the risk of COVID-19 importation
  • 26 February 2020 – Maintain travel restrictions, quarantine measures and surveillance
  • 24 February 2020 – International developments, situation in Australia
  • 19 February 2020 – Travel restrictions
  • 13 February 2020 – Travel restrictions and potential exemptions
  • 5 February 2020 – Community response
  • 1 February 2020 – Expanded case definition, travel advisory, self-isolation for travellers from China, border measures
  • 29 January 2020 – Self-isolation for close contacts of confirmed cases, and travellers from Hubei
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