Alyssa Fritzlaff
Tomorrow is the final day Victorians will be eligible to receive a Test Isolation Payment.
The Victorian Government has announced that those who take a PCR test after Tuesday March 1 2022 will not be eligible for the payment.
All payment claims must be submitted before 9.00am Wednesday March 9 to be assessed.
According to the Victorian Government, this change is due to the increased availability of rapid antigen tests (RATs), which have reduced the need for people to isolate for long periods of time.
Other support, such as food relief, is still available to Victorians who are financially impacted by COVID-19.
Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula said the payment is no longer necessary.
“The recommended testing method has changed with Rapid Antigen Tests providing results within minutes and eliminating the need to miss work while waiting for test results,” he said.
“The payment was an important emergency support for many workers during the height of the pandemic, but as we enter a new phase of managing COVID-19 it’s no longer necessary.”
The Commonwealth Government’s Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment is also available for those who have to self isolate, quarantine, or are required to care for someone who has to do so.
The Test Isolation Payment was launched in July 2020, and has since distributed more than 1.2 million payments, worth more than $545 million.
For more information, visit: coronavirus.vic.gov.au
