South Australia's hospitality industry is calling for more COVID-19 restrictions to be eased, as office workers are encouraged to return to work today.
The peak body representing hotels argues the capacity at hospitality venues needs to be increased immediately.
Premier Steven Marshall says gradually easing restrictions is being looked at, along with more elective surgery.
Australian Hotels Association South Australia chief executive Ian Horne said he wanted hospitality capacity at least doubled to 50 per cent.
"We're urging the Premier not to sit back and review and take time," he said.
The increased restrictions, which were also applied to gyms and home gatherings, came into effect on December 26 in response to the continuing wave of Omicron cases that led to a record 13 deaths being reported yesterday.
The state government had previously flagged reducing restrictions ahead of the new year, once South Australia reached a 90 per cent vaccination rate for people aged 12 and above.
Help for businesses after infection peak
Yesterday, the Premier said falling case numbers showed the state was "moving away from that peak" of Omicron cases, with many more people recovering from COVID-19 than being infected by the coronavirus.
A quarter of office-based public servants are being encouraged to return to their regular workplaces from today, and Mr Marshall has pushed for the same in private businesses.
"This [return of public servants] is going to great for small business and I'm hoping these people, when they go back into the office, get an opportunity to go and buy a coffee, go out for lunch, grab their lunch from the local cafe, [and] support local business which has been doing it very hard since December 26 — and before," he said.
He said a "pathway" would be released later this week to "offer support for businesses, demand stimulus out the other side and a pathway in terms of reducing our restrictions".
People waiting for surgery suffering
Australian Medical Association national vice-president Chris Moy said South Australia needed to start looking at easing restrictions, but the rules had to be based on COVID-19 modelling.
Dr Moy — an Adelaide-based GP — agreed with the Premier that the state had passed its Omicron peak.
He said people whose elective surgery had been delayed were suffering.
"I think what is less certain is at what level we may plateau at and how slow we're going to slowly reduce the number of cases and the number in hospital."
He said simple procedures that could be done outside of hospitals should resume first.
Mr Marshall said he had a preliminary meeting with SA Health about the issue on Tuesday and would have another one tomorrow.
Teachers set to decide on strike
The Australian Education Union will decide today whether public school teachers will strike next Wednesday, the day reception, year 1, year 7, year 8 and 12 students will go back to face-to-face learning.
"I desperately hope that a strike can be avoided," Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said.
"Teachers have made it clear that the best way to do that is to get access to rapid antigen tests, as is the case in other parts of the country."
Mr Marshall said the kits would be provided when needed but not for surveillance.
