Western Australia Covid update as at 17 December 2021

WA Health is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 overnight. The State’s total stands at 1125. To date, 1113 people have recovered from the virus in WA.

WA is monitoring three active cases in hotel quarantine.

A list of exposure site (external site) related to the interstate truck drivers, who were potentially infectious in WA, has been published on the HealthyWA website. Please continue to check the site in case more exposure sites are added.

Anyone who visited these sites at the specified times and dates must:

  • Get tested immediately and isolate until you receive a negative result unless directly advised otherwise by the Department of Health.

Metropolitan testing locations are available on HealthyWA.

Regional testing is available at:

  • Norseman Hospital – 8am to 6pm
  • Southern Cross – 24/7 – phone ahead on 9081 2222
  • Kalgoorlie Health Campus, 8am to 6pm.

To date, 168 casual contacts and 10 close contacts have been identified (who are still in WA). So far 146 contacts have tested negative, 24 test results are pending; and 8 are still being tested. Of the close contacts, nine have tested negative, one test result is pending.

Border controls

Based on the latest health advice, border controls with Queensland and Tasmania will strengthen from 12.01am Monday, December 20.

Queensland update

WA will transition its border arrangements with Queensland from Low” risk to “Medium” risk on Monday (December 20). Travel from Queensland will not be permitted, unless a person is an approved traveller.

Tasmania update

Border controls with Tasmania will also tighten from 12.01am, Monday December 20, transitioning from ‘very low risk’ to ‘low risk’. The elevation is part of a cautious approach as Tasmania now has relaxed border and quarantine requirements with COVID-positive jurisdictions.

NSW update

Based on the latest health advice, WA will transition its border arrangement with New South Wales from ‘High’ risk to an ‘Extreme’ risk category from 12.01am Saturday, 18 December 2021.

Travel will not be permitted from NSW into WA except in extraordinary circumstances. Current approved travellers under the ‘high risk’ category need to return immediately

Information about Western Australia’s controlled border arrangements, conditions of entry and quarantine is available online.

COVID-19 vaccinations*

Since vaccination numbers were reported yesterday, 27,187 COVID-19 vaccine doses were recorded in WA 13,935 of these were second doses. The total includes 9,490 historic COVID-19 vaccine doses*. These figures represent COVID-19 vaccinations at State-run clinics and doses given as part of the Commonwealth rollout**.

Western Australia will embark on its Safe Transition Plan to safely ease its hard border controls in line with a 90 per cent vaccination rate from 12.01am on Saturday February 5, 2022.

For the latest WA vaccination figures, visit the COVID-19 Coronavirus: Vaccination dashboard (external site)**.

Testing clinics

Yesterday, 526 people were swabbed at State-run clinics.* A list of all testing clinics is available on the HealthyWA website.

Mandatory vaccination information

A mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for a majority of occupations and workforces

/Public Release. View in full here.