9 June 2022
On June 16, the public health emergency will end in the Northern Territory.
Over the last two years, the declaration has enabled the Chief Health Officer to issue Directions to slow the spread of COVID-19 and keep Territorians safe.
The Territory Labor Government has always acted to protect all Territorians, particularly our most vulnerable, and the COVID-19 pandemic was no exception.
Recently passed legislation allows us to cease the public health emergency, while retaining ability to respond to COVID-19 and its variants for up to 2 years.
This legislation means we retain the power which requires people to isolate if testing positive, to register the results of positive RAT tests, to mandate the wearing of masks, vaccines in high-risk places such as hospitals and prisons, which can be enforced by the Northern Territory Police.
With the vaccine rates as high as they are, the Marrara vaccine clinic will close on 30 June 2022.
As with other vaccines, such as the flu, people can continue to get their COVID-19 vaccines at GPs, pharmacies or Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.
The Centre for National Resilience will also cease operations, but remains ready to be stood up if and when it’s needed.
After so much hard work from all Territorians, we can move onto a brighter future.
Quotes attributable to Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Natasha Fyles:
“The declarations were always about doing everything we could to save lives. I never took the decision to sign these declarations lightly, just as today’s decision was not taken lightly.
“COVID is now part of our lives and living with it means we begin to treat it just like other illnesses.
“We are no longer on an emergency footing. We now have high vaccine coverage, people have rolled up their sleeves and the vaccine mandate can end.
“Territorians know what it means to come together as a community – and again we showed how it’s done.”
Northern Territory Government
