On 20 October 2023, Australian Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly announced that the COVID-19 pandemic was no longer a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance (CDINS).
While COVID-19 was considered a CDINS, we worked with the health and aged care sectors to ensure there were enough tests and treatments for all Australians who needed them.
Provide access to oral antiviral treatments against COVID-19
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has provisionally approved some treatments for use in Australia by high-risk communities.
We worked with peak agencies to ensure these medicines were:
- included in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Plan (PBS)
- available to the public in pharmacies, with a doctor's prescription
- Available in prescriber bags for emergency use
- pre-installed in residential homes for seniors.
Read more about oral antiviral treatments.
Provide COVID-19 testing to people at risk
Rapid Antigen Tests are an important and easily accessible test to detect COVID-19. During the pandemic we insured These tests were given to those who needed them most, including:
- residential homes for seniorsto screen residents, staff and visitors
- Aboriginal and community controlled health services
- people in supported independent living services (support that allows people to live in their own home).
Vaccination
We worked to ensure everyone in Australia had access to free vaccines. Learn more about Vaccines for COVID-19.
COVID-19 reports
We work with state and territory governments and health providers to capture data and simplify COVID-19 reporting into a single resource.
Watch the COVID-19 case numbers, vaccination rates and statistics for Australia.
Working together with states and territories
We work with state and territory governments to:
- share information so they can provide the best care possible
- ensuring that the entire government response was coherent and united across the country.
Our entire government response aimed to:
- Minimize the number of people infected or sick with COVID-19.
- Minimize the degree of illness of people and the mortality rate.
- Manage the demand of our health systems.
- help you manage your own risk and the risk to your family and community
- make COVID-19 vaccines available to everyone in Australia.
Working with our experts
The Australian Government has assembled a team of highly respected doctors to assist in the COVID-19 response. Our expert committees were:
Our policies and procedures
We implemented a series of measures and financing plans to address the COVID-19 pandemic. We created sector-specific plans, such as aged care, to ensure they looked after all Australians.
Learn about him frameworks and policies the Australian government implemented to help combat COVID-19.
Learn more about:
Provide mental health, financial and healthcare support.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the health and wellbeing of Australians in many ways.
Mental health support
The Australian government Head to health initiative provides:
- easy access to mental health advice
- Free or low-cost telephone and online counseling
- crisis treatment and support.
You can find mental health service providers on the health site. Service Finder.
If you need help right now, it's available 24/7, anywhere in Australia:
In case of emergency, call 000.
Financial support
He COVID-19 Leave Subsidy for Disabled Workers replace the Pandemic payment in high-risk environments. Provides grants to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) providers to support eligible workers who:
- provide close personal support to NDIS participants
- COVID-19 contract
- have zero or insufficient sick leave.
The funding provides support for costs associated with lost work hours between April 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023.
Your state or territory government may have other support available:
Health support
We work closely with healthcare providers, including the aged and disability care sector, as well as state and territory governments to ensure the supply of:
- workers
- evidence
- deals
- vaccines.
For more information, see:
