Anthony Albanese tells South Sydney Covid isolation set to be cut to five days: National Cabinet

Covid sufferers are set to see their enforced isolation period cut from seven days to five, according to an inside tip the prime minister gave his footy side. 

Under the current seven-day isolation rule South Sydney hooker Damien Cook was set to miss Friday’s NRL grudge match against the Sydney Roosters having tested positive to Covid on Saturday.

However, Rabbitohs fanatic Anthony Albanese revealed to the club the isolation period is likely to be reduced to five days when National Cabinet hold talks on Wednesday – making him free to take the field. 

Mr Albanese attended the South Sydney game against the North Queensland Cowboys at Accor Stadium on Saturday night where he informed the club of the likely change.

At this stage however nothing has been finalised. 

The move to reduce the isolation period has been most vocally pushed by New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet – as the state struggles with workforce shortages that are putting a dent in the economy.

It is understood other state premiers are also in agreement and are likely to rubber stamp the move.

Elsewhere the UK and many European nations have scrapped mandatory isolation periods altogether.

The USA’s Centre for Disease controls recommends a five day period of quarantine, but sufferers are no longer forced by law to stay home.

Mr Perrottet has also argued for the isolation period to be abolished but at this stage that appears unlikely. 

At the moment, Australians can still be fined up to $11,000 for breaching seven-day isolation rules.  

Most Australian states and territories relaxed isolation requirements from 14 to seven days at the end of last year as the first Omicron wave increasingly sidelined workers, constraining services, businesses and supply chains.

More than 150,000 Australians are still classified as active cases across the country, down from 380,000 in late July, and subject to Covid-19 isolation orders.

University of South Australia epidemiologist Adrian Esterman said it’s too early to shorten mandatory isolation.

‘Two-thirds of people are still infectious after five days,’ he told AAP.

But Mr Perrottet said Australia’s pandemic response must evolve along with the virus, but support for workers should remain regardless of the isolation period.

‘If the state government, federal government, mandate isolation and deprive people of their living, the (government) should compensate them, and I’m not resiling from that point,’ he said.

Reducing the isolation period was raised at a national cabinet meeting last month but wasn’t backed by medical experts as the BA.4/5 Omicron variant wave’s was continuing to wreak havoc

‘The advice that is there from the Chief Medical Officer, Professor (Paul) Kelly, was that now is certainly not the time for that to be reconsidered,’ Mr Albanese told Adelaide radio station FIVEaa on July 18.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews agreed, declaring mandatory isolation would be abolished at some stage but it wasn’t the ‘right thing to do’ in the middle of winter.

In a statement to AAP, a Victorian government spokesman said: ‘We will consider the advice from AHPPC (Australian Health Protection Principal Committee) on isolation periods and consider any changes they recommend.’

Meanwhile, the inclusion of the fleet-footed Cook will bolster Souths’ chances against their most bitter rivals at Allianz Stadium on Friday night in the last round of the regular season.

Although both teams are set to make the finals and can’t much improve their respective positions on Friday the two clubs have the most storied, and perhaps most fierce, rivalry in the NRL.

The clubs which have territory butting up against each other in Sydney’s inner south and east are foundation clubs of the league competition. 

Having been bought up not far from South Sydney’s spiritual home of Redfern Oval Mr Albanese has often spoken about his lifelong devotion to the team.

‘I was raised with three great faiths – the Catholic Church, the Labor party and South Sydney Football Club,’ is a favourite quote of the prime minister.