Western Australia has reported two more deaths from COVID-19 and 8,133 new cases as it announced thousands more rapid antigen tests would be distributed to communities in regional and remote areas.
A man aged in his 70s and another man in his 80s with COVID passed away earlier this week, with their deaths reported to WA Health yesterday.
There are 209 people with the virus in hospital and 10 in intensive care, with the number of active WA cases sitting at 45,306.
The latest figures came as Premier Mark McGowan said more free rapid antigen tests (RATs) would be made available at pop-up sites in regional town centres.
He said the program would especially target locations where PCR tests were not readily available.
"We're going to have hundreds of thousands distributed. We have a stockpile of RATs and people can line up and get free RAT tests from those pop-up locations," he said.
"We're trying to ensure we keep workplaces open by using this method, and ensure more people can work in hospitals, in schools … whatever it may be, by ensuring more testing."
Free tests are already being distributed at events and locations in Perth, with public transport commuters among those receiving them after handouts began at train stations last Friday.
Remote communities to get more RATs
Part of the free RATs rollout will include cooperation with local Aboriginal organisations to distribute tests to remote Aboriginal communities.
"Obviously, in remote Aboriginal communities, you don't have the opportunity to go and get a PCR test," Mr McGowan said.
Each household in remote communities will receive 20 rapid antigen tests on top of the 15 already being made available across the state.
With WA's restrictions set to be peeled back to level one in most settings from next Thursday, the Premier said it was unlikely any distinction would be drawn between regions.
"Our restrictions at this point in time will be fairly uniform across the state," he said.
"I doubt, but I can't be absolutely certain, that we'll distinguish between the regions again."
Health, other critical services under watch
Almost 1,900 staff across the health system are furloughed due to COVID-19 or being a close contact, according to Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson.
"That does put strain on the system, and people are picking up extra shifts and doing overtime to make sure we can continue those important services," she told ABC Radio Perth.
Ms Sanderson said the rate of staff being granted a leave of absence in critical services was being carefully monitored, alongside figures such as hospitalisations and ICU cases.
She said the state's caseloads had fallen below the government's predicted Omicron modelling, prompting the Chief Health Officer's advice to peel back restrictions.
"Whilst we prioritise the health impact, we do need to be able to allow some businesses to get back to work," she said.
But Ms Sanderson said there was not yet any consideration of removing all restrictions, including close contact isolation rules and masking.
"We are still managing high caseloads," she said.
"There has been a national decision to allow states to remove isolation rules for close contacts. Not all states have moved to do that.
"A number of states are considering reimposing restrictions because their case numbers are going up, particularly New South Wales."
Fourth vaccination for vulnerable
The Health Minister said she anticipated the Commonwealth would provide more vaccines by early April to support the rollout of a fourth vaccination dose for vulnerable populations.
The fourth dose, approved by ATAGI, will be made available to people over 65, aged care residents, people with disability, and immunocompromised people, equating to about 350,000 people in WA.
"That will be available throughout state clinics, and primary health networks, GPs, pharmacies … from the beginning of April," Ms Sanderson said.
She said it was unlikely for the fourth dose to be included in the state's vaccination mandate due to it specifically targeting vulnerable populations.
Opposition calls to scrap G2G
Questioned about the ongoing use of G2G passes for people crossing through WA's open border, Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said it was still a necessity for proving the vaccination status of travellers.
"It may be that proof of vaccination evolves over time coming in and out of the state, but at the moment it's an appropriate tool," she told ABC Radio Perth.
But Opposition leader Mia Davies said the system was a waste of resources and should be scrapped.
"West Australians as a whole are ready to move forward. We're a highly vaccinated population and we're ready to live with COVID," she said.
Ms Davies said at least 200 police officers were still being tasked with managing G2G passes, and the passes were redundant as a means of proving vaccination status.
"It's a duplication of services and I'm quite sure that the police commissioner would like to see those police officers back on the beat," she said.
It was revealed in Parliament on Tuesday that WA Police used G2G information 22 times for criminal investigations.
Ms Davies said while it was not unlawful, the state government should implement a dedicated system for police to use in their investigations, instead of using information from a tool intended as a pandemic measure.
"They should have the conversation with the community rather than simply continuing on with the G2G pass system and using it covertly," she said.
The Health Minister said she was satisfied with the pass system but did not rule out changing it in the future.
