A leading epidemiologist has labelled the NSW government’s decision to lift construction site restrictions on unvaccinated workers as “a bit dangerous”.
Key points:
- The NSW government defended the decision to remove the construction cap
- It said capacity limits were punishing workers who had followed health advice
- Workers in Melbourne protested after Victoria imposed a snap two-week shutdown
From Monday, September 27, the rule limiting construction sites to 50 per cent capacity if they have any unvaccinated workers will be removed.
All construction sites will be able to have one person per 4 square metres even if workers who have not received the jab are present.
Epidemiologist and World Health Organisation (WHO) advisor Marylouise McLaws said allowing vaccinated and unvaccinated to work alongside each other was “a bit dangerous”.
“It’s not safe enough, not with the Delta [variant] and not with young people,” she said.
“For young people aged 16 to 39, only 33 per cent have been totally vaccinated, and only 39 per cent have had one dose.
“They need their good health. They are in a physically demanding job and they do not want this infection.”
AAP: Mick Tsikas
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Minister for Jobs and Investment Stuart Ayres said current rules were punishing construction workers who had followed public health advice.
“We actually reached a point where the 50 per cent capacity limit on a construction site was stopping people who had been vaccinated from being able to go to work,” he said.
“That first dose requirement to be on site has far exceeded our expectations, so now is an appropriate time to lift that 50 per cent cap to allow people to get back to work.”
Mr Ayres said removing those limitations would help jump-start economic recovery for when the state reaches 70 per cent fully vaccinated and begins to reopen.
Some restrictions will remain for workers living in Sydney’s 12 local government areas of concern.
As part of cap removal, the state government will be introducing rapid antigen testing to sites, which can provide a COVID-19 result within 30 minutes.
Infrastructure NSW has not detailed how frequent these tests would need to be done, but Professor McLaws said it should be done at least every second day, if not daily.
AAP: James Ross
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The return to full capacity at building sites in NSW comes as Victoria’s construction faced a snap two-week shutdown.
Dramatic scenes unfolded over the past two days with more than 2,000 protesters shouting anti-vaccination messages marched through Melbourne’s CBD.
Professor McLaws warned NSW to not become complacent after case numbers fell from a record high and said case numbers could fluctuate.
“The case numbers may be plateauing but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of safety,” she said.
“Delta will be going around and without good vaccine coverage … the case numbers will spring back up again.”
NSW yesterday recorded 1,022 locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 and 10 deaths.
Almost 83 per cent of adults over 16 have had one dose of the vaccine, while 53 per cent are fully vaccinated.
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