The NSW Government has announced a further easing of restrictions, with masks no longer required in retail and clinical spaces and the end of compulsory QR codes in retail settings, including optometry.
Importantly, however, optometrists in the state can still set their own practice rules regarding the vaccination status of staff and patients.
Optometry NSW/ACT announced the update would come into effect from Wednesday 15 December, with other major changes including no density limits for all settings and optional COVID safety plans for businesses.
Changes for health practices in NSW – where more than 2,000 optometrists practise – include:
- Retail reopens to all regardless of vaccination status
- Masks are no longer required in retail or clinical spaces
- QR codes abolished in retail (including optometry)
- Proof of vaccination status not required unless the practice chooses to do so.
- No limit of visitors to homes
The latest relation of rules came in mid-November when the state government confirmed there was no need to check vaccination status of anyone entering the practice, unvaccinated patients could browse without limitation, and unvaccinated staff, both optometrists and front-of-house staff, could work unimpeded.
For more information about the NSW Government’s new rules, visit here.
A state-by-state breakdown of vaccination rules can be found on the Optometry Australia website.
More reading
Major update: No limits on unvaccinated staff and patients in NSW practices
Rules for the vaccinated and unvaccinated in NSW optometry practices from 11 October
Victorian optometrists to administer COVID-19 vaccines
