Public health and social measures to keep WA safe
Friday, 18 February 2022

• New public health and social measures to take effect from 6am Monday February 21

• Level 1 measures for Perth, Peel, South- West, Wheatbelt, Great Southern and Pilbara regions, where community transmission has been detected

• Measures to be applied to other regions as the virus spreads across the State

• Indoor mask mandate for all public indoor settings to be expanded State-wide

• Proof of vaccination requirements adjusted in accordance with latest health advice

Based on the latest health advice, new public health and social measures will be introduced for regions throughout the State from 6am Monday, February 21 to help manage the surge of Omicron cases and keep Western Australians safe.

With community transmission growing in Perth, Peel, South-West, Wheatbelt, Great Southern and Pilbara regions, the following Level 1 public health and social measures will be introduced from 6am Monday February 21.

In addition to the existing indoor mask requirements, proof of vaccination, contact registration and restrictions to remote Aboriginal communities, Level 1 measures also include:

• home gatherings limited to a total of 30 people;

• private outdoor gatherings (not at a private residence) limited to a total of 200 people;

• two square metre rule introduced for hospitality, fitness venues, entertainment

venues, cultural venues, places of worship,

hairdressers and beauty services;
• 75 per cent capacity for seated entertainment

venues (forward facing), such as theatres

and cinemas;
• 75 per cent capacity for major stadia such as

Optus Stadium, RAC Arena, HBF Stadium

(main area) and HBF Park;
• two square metre rule for Perth Crown

Complex and seated service only on the

casino gaming floor;
• 500-person capacity limit at nightclubs, in

addition to the two square metre rule; • visitation at residential aged care and

disability care facilities, and hospitals limited to four visitors per patient/resident per day, exemptions for compassionate reasons;

• COVID Event Checklists required for events with more than 500 patrons and less than 1,000 patrons and COVID Event Plans required for large events with 1,000 patrons and above;

• COVID Safety Plans to be expanded to early childhood education and childcare services, hairdressers and barbers, and encouraged for all workplaces; and

• workplaces should implement COVID-19 safe settings to manage workforce impacts.

The mask rules for all indoor public settings will also be expanded State-wide and applied to the Kimberley, Gascoyne, Mid-West and Goldfields-Esperance regions from 6am Monday February 21.

All Level 1 measures will be applied to the Kimberley, Gascoyne, Mid West and Goldfields-Esperance regions as community transmission is detected in the region.

With WA achieving more than 95 per cent double dose vaccination and based on the latest health advice, bottle shops will be removed from proof of vaccination

requirements immediately, ahead of a review of other proof of vaccination and contact registration measures.

Further public health and social measures (Level 2) may be introduced in the future to help reduce increasing transmission of COVID-19 and hospitalisations, if necessary.

Level 2 may include measures such as mask wearing expanded to those in Year 3 and above, working from home advised for vulnerable people, Rapid Antigen Testing for visitors at residential aged care and disability facilities, home gatherings reduced to a total of 10 people, and the four square metre rule indoors and two square metre outdoors for hospitality, fitness venues, indoor entertainment venues, cultural venues, places of worship, hairdressers and beauty services.

For more information on public health and social measures, please visit www.wa.gov.au .

Comments attributed to Premier Mark McGowan:

"Introducing these public health measures is not something we want to do, but we know from the Eastern States' experience that applying measures before the peak will help in the long run.

"Omicron is in our community, it is spreading through our workplaces, schools and social settings, and we know cases will jump significantly in the days ahead.

"Based on the latest health advice, we've had to make the difficult decision to introduce these measures in order to try to minimise the overall impact of Omicron and keep WA safe.

"The months ahead will be bumpy for some, including for small businesses, but we know Western Australians will come together to protect themselves and each other – just as they have done before.

"Where possible, I ask Western Australians to support local business to back them through this next phase - whether it be a coffee in the morning, a dinner from your favourite local restaurant or through tickets to a show or the movies.

"These measures may be scaled up or down based on updated health advice or rates of hospitalisation.

"We know our best defence and the way through the pandemic is vaccination - particularly third doses - so I urge those who have yet to 'roll up' to do so as soon as possible."

Comments attributed to Health Minister Amber- Jade Sanderson:

"Thank you to all Western Australians who continue to do the right thing and abide by health directions to help keep the vulnerable in our community safe.

"These new public health measures are an important next step in our pandemic response and, now that we are starting to see Omicron cases rise, it is vital we act swiftly.

"I understand some of these measures will be challenging, especially for businesses, but our health workers and the immunocompromised in our community are extremely grateful for your participation.

"Please also continue to keep up existing public health measures - check-in via SafeWA or ServiceWA, get vaccinated, wash your hands regularly, and get tested if you feel unwell or have been to an exposure site."

Minister's office - 6552 5000 Health Minister's office - 6552 5900