Close contact rule changes should help ease some of the short staff situations due to people having COVID-19.
The following is an update for food businesses from Queensland Health about close contacts to those with COVID-19.
COVID-19 update – 24 January 2022
Close contacts returning to work
The Queensland Government has changed some requirements for businesses critical to the fresh food supply chain.
These measures will help close contact workers resume critical roles to support the fresh food supply chain, while ensuring safety in workplaces through additional COVID-19 monitoring.
Workers must provide a negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) prior to beginning their first day back at work and on every second day (as well as the day 6 test to end quarantine). RAT tests are to be provided by the employer. A list of suppliers has been provided on the eHub.
All critically essential workers must be symptom free, fully vaccinated and have had a booster dose, if eligible.
From today, the Critically Essential Roles List (a brief description of the roles, not a list of named individuals) must be submitted to the COVID-19 services portal rather than to an email address. You do not need to resubmit information through the portal, if you have recently submitted information through the email address.
Employers must also maintain a Critical Worker List of the names of close contacts performing essential roles.
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries