Help for people in quarantine who smoke
Published 27 April 2020
If you have to be in quarantine for COVID-19 in Tasmania, you can get free nicotine replacement therapy to help you with nicotine withdrawal.
To register, call Quitline on 13 7848 or visit the Quit Tasmania website and arrange for a professional Quitline counsellor to call you.
See Help for people in quarantine who smoke for more information.
Australian Government launches COVIDSafe app
Published 26 April 2020
The Australian Government has launched a new voluntary coronavirus app, COVIDSafe.
The app identifies and quickly alerts people who may have been exposed to COVID-19 through close contact with someone diagnosed with the virus.
COVIDSafe can be downloaded from App stores.
For questions about the app, visit the Australian Government Department of Health website or call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.
Support for learner drivers
Published 26 April 2020
The requirement for the L2 Driving Practical Assessment has been removed. L1 licence holders will now be able to apply online for an L2 licence after three continuous months on their L1 licence.
See the media release for more information.
New method of receiving COVID-19 negative test results
Published 25 April 2020
If you have been tested for COVID-19 and the test result is negative, you will now be sent a text message informing you of this negative result.
Due to the expansion of testing, text message results have been introduced to help inform those tested of a negative result quickly.
The text message you receive will show up as being sent by ‘Tas Health’ and will include your full name and date you were tested.
If you do not have a mobile phone number or ask not to be notified by text message at the time of testing, you will receive a phone call to inform you of your result.
For more information including what to do once you receive your COVID-19 test results visit I'm being tested. What should I know?
COVID-19 testing criteria expanded
Published 24 April 2020
The criteria for testing is now consistent across the State.
Wherever you are in Tasmania, if you have any symptoms of a fever, runny nose, cough, sore/itchy throat or shortness of breath, call your GP or the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 as you need to be tested for COVID-19.
Testing is only available with a referral from a GP or the Public Health Hotline. If there is no testing clinic in your local area, you can travel outside your municipality to have a test.
After being tested, you will be instructed to self-isolate until you’ve been told your test result. The clinic that conducted your test or your GP will call you with your results. It usually takes at least 48 hours.
For more information see, Testing for COVID-19.
Tasmanian Government Schools - Plan for Term 2
Published 24 April 2020
The first day of Term 2 (Monday 27 April) will be a Student Free Teacher Planning Day. Students (excluding those in the north west) will commence Term 2 on Tuesday 28 April 2020 either at home or in the classroom if students cannot be supervised or supported to learn at home.
For more details see Schools and childcare or this Department of Education fact sheet.
North-West schools closure extended
Published 24 April 2020
Schools will not reopen for Term 2 in the north west next week. School sites will be closed in the north west until 4 May 2020.
Staff will not be on site next week and preparation for Term 2 will continue at home. For students in the north west, schools will reopen on 4 May 2020.
Students who have learning from home material from Term 1 are able to continue their learning from home. There is, however no expectation that north west students need to be engaged in learning next week.
For the rest of the state, schools will recommence Term 2 on 28 April 2020 - the extended closure of schools applies to the north west only.
For more details see Important Information for people in north west Tasmania.
Extension of North-West business restrictions
Published 24 April 2020
Following advice from the Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch, the current Order made under the Public Health Act imposing additional restrictions on the North-West coast will be extended by one week ending 11:59pm Sunday, 3 May 2020. This order applies to the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of: Latrobe, Kentish, Devonport, Central Coast, Burnie, Wynyard-Waratah, Circular Head and West Coast.
The extension of the Order will provide additional time for the Department of Health to conduct further and necessary community and symptomatic testing to determine the extent of the outbreak.
Testing of state servants and public-facing workers in the North-West
Published 24 April 2020
If you are a State Servant (for example, emergency services worker or teacher) or public-facing worker in the North-West (for example working in retail or pharmacy) you can also arrange testing even if you are not experiencing symptoms.
It is important to be aware that people who are unwell, are prioritised for testing. If you are not experiencing symptoms, testing will be arranged as soon as possible.
If you are well and are tested you will not be required to self-isolate while you await the results unless directed otherwise by Public Health Services. However, if you are unwell and are tested you must self-isolate until you receive your test result.
More extensive testing on the North-West will help us understand if the virus is spreading within the community and help inform Public Health decisions about future restrictions.
This testing is not mandatory. To arrange a test, you will need a referral from the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.
Immediate halt to any increases in rent
Published 24 April 2020
On 23 April 2020, the Premier issued a Notice under section 22 of the COVID-19 Disease Emergency (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020.
Any rent increase that was due to take place between 23 April 2020 and 30 June 2020 will no longer occur.
This includes any rent increase where notice was given prior 23 April 2020, if that rent increase is yet to take place.
This measure will be reviewed prior to 30 June 2020 and may be extended.
TasWater customer support program extended
Published 24 April 2020
TasWater has extended its Customer Support Program to provide customers with bill payment support, extended payment terms and deferred trade waste payments.
Through the Program, TasWater can offer bill payment support to all residential customers including those who own investment properties or vacant land.
TasWater can also help businesses, not for profit organisations and eligible sporting clubs to extend payment terms based on individual needs for up to three years, with some business customers now able to defer trade waste payments for six months.
More information is on the TasWater website, Facebook page or by calling the customer contact centre on 13 6992.
Support for temporary visa holders
Published 22 April 2020
A significant number of temporary visa holders in Tasmania have lost their jobs and are experiencing hardship due to the restrictions in place to protect Tasmanians. The Tasmanian Government has announced support for temporary visa holders who are experiencing difficulties.
See the Temporary Visa Holders for more details.
Visitor restrictions - hospitals and aged care facilities
Updated 22 April 2020
Restriction to visitors are in place for hospitals and residential aged care facilities to ensure the safety of patients and residents.
No patient visits will be permitted to hospitals except for
- a parent or legal guardian visiting a child who is a patient at the hospital
- a support person to attend the birth of a child
- to provide end-of-life support to a patient
- to provide a patient with physical assistance, communication or comprehension assistance, or assistance with legal or administrative requirements.
Visitors are not permitted to residential aged care facilities, except
- to provide end-of-life support to a resident
- if the person is a key support person for a resident, and the aged care facility requests that person provide support to reduce distress or confusion as a result of a resident's medical condition.
Visitors to hospitals and aged care facilities must not be unwell and must comply with screening requirements.
See Hospital and aged care visitor restrictions for more details.
North-West emergency department open
Published 17 April 2020
The emergency department at the North West Regional Hospital has reopened.
It was closed for a number of days to allow for a deep clean of the facility as part of the response to the outbreak of coronavirus at the hospital.
The facility will initially be staffed by Australian Defence Force personnel under the leadership of AUSMAT while NWRH staff return from quarantine.
The emergency department will be open 24 hours a day.
The public should be aware that the rest of the NWRH remains closed, and any patient requiring a higher level of care than what can be provided within the emergency department will be transferred to another hospital.
For more information go to Important information for people in north west Tasmania.
Update on aged care facilities in North-West Tasmania
Published 16 April 2020
Public Health Services is working with three aged care facilities on the North West coast after contact tracing found that a healthcare worker diagnosed with coronavirus had worked shifts at both the North West Regional Hospital and the North West Private Hospital and three nursing homes.
See Aged care facilities for details.
Need to go shopping?
Published 8 April 2020
See our Advice for shoppers for tips before you go shopping, and for when you are in a store, to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19.
Legislative Council Elections to be deferred
Published 5 April 2020
The Tasmanian 2020 Legislative Council Elections for the divisions of Huon and Rosevears will be deferred in a further measure to protect Tasmanians against the spread of coronavirus.
The Constitution Act 1934 provides that the poll must be held on a Saturday in the month of May. Currently they are to be held on Saturday, 30 May.
A Notice will be issued under section 13(1) of the COVID-19 Disease Emergency (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020, for the election to now occur before the next sitting of the Legislative Council, slated for 25 August 2020.
Should public health circumstances require a further deferral of the election, then a further Notice would need to be considered.