27 June 2022
IOT COVID-19 SUBCOMMITTEE UPDATE
Latest on local COVID outbreak and interim measures on Christmas and Cocos Islands
The IOT COVID-19 subcommittee thanks everyone for their cooperation with the interim measures put in place last week to slow community transmission of COVID on Christmas and the Cocos Islands. While we are still seeing new cases every day, the numbers have remained stable over several days and not increased dramatically. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the interim measures in checking the community spread and reducing our risk. It has meant that businesses and essential services are able to continue to operate
While we will continue to record daily cases, we are now in a position to ease the interim measures in every IOT location with the exception of Home Island, where there is still higher risk of community spread.
Effective immediately, the following applies:
On CI:
- Interim measures are ceasing effective immediately.
- Restaurants and pubs will go back to regular service arrangements. However, staff and patrons must comply with mask-wearing requirements, follow hygiene practices and abide by physical distancing.
- The recreation centre will re-open. Again, mask-wearing requirements must be complied with and personal protective measures followed.
On CKI:
On Home Island:
- food and beverage service remains takeaway only
- the mosque remains closed
- the ferry will be limited to essential travel only (with the exception of tourists travelling to Direction Island).
On West Island:
- The Cocos Club can re-open for seated service, staff and patrons must comply with mask-wearing requirements, follow hygiene practices and abide by physical distancing.
- Food service can resume on West Island, with outdoor dining only. Masks must be worn when physical distancing is not possible outdoors.
- The mosque on West Island is re-opening under COVID safety measures, including mask-wearing, no physical contact and appropriate distancing.
The interim measures in place for Home Island will be reviewed again on Monday 4 July and adjusted as required, based on case numbers.
Only high-risk public exposure sites are being listed. The health service will direct people for testing as required during contact tracing. Community members and visitors are asked to regularly check the listed public exposure sites, monitor for symptoms and test.
If you are informed that you are a close contact – by either the health service or a confirmed positive case to whom you have been exposed – you are required to isolate in accordance with the IOT-specific guidelines.
These guidelines are available online here:
It is critical that each and every one of you continues to follow the local COVID-19 requirements and your personal protective measures like hand hygiene, mask wearing and physical distancing.
Please remember the risks of COVID-19 to the most vulnerable in our community – the elderly, the immunocompromised, those with chronic illnesses and those unable to be vaccinated – we need to continue to work together to keep everyone safe – and now more than ever, we cannot afford complacency or unchecked community transmission.
Anyone who is unwell with symptoms needs to stay home and contact the health service for assessment and further testing as required, even if you have returned a negative test at home. A single negative RAT does not exclude COVID-19, particularly when you are experiencing symptoms. These include any cold and flu-like symptoms, nausea/vomiting/diarrhoea or loss of taste/smell.
