There is now financial support available for individuals who have lost work because they have had to isolate – or if you are caring for someone who has to self-isolate or quarantine owing to COVID-19.
The Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment is a lump sum payment to help you during the time you can’t work and earn income because you have COVID-19, for isolation periods starting before 10 January 2022, you must have been directly informed you have COVID-19 by a health official – that you’re a close contact with a person who has COVID-19; you care for a child, 16 years or under, who has COVID-19; that a child you care for who is 16 years or under, is a close contact with a person who has COVID-19; you’re caring for someone who has COVID-19; you’re caring for someone with disability or a severe medical condition who must self-isolate or quarantine because they’re a close contact of a person with COVID-19.
From today, Monday 10 January, Services Australia will accept both Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) results. You’ll need to have either: advice of a positive test from a testing clinic or health professional or evidence you’ve registered a positive result from a home-administered RAT with your state health authority.
If you need ongoing financial help, check to see what other payments you may be eligible to get by using our Payment and Service Finder.
Read more about who can get it.
Recent stories, information and updates regarding COVID-19
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Life shows life expectancy in Australia has decreased slightly for the second year in a row. An international team of researchers has found more evidence that COVID-19 came from animals in a Wuhan food market. The lab-leak theory that Covid-19 came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology – instead of a nearby wet market – was thrashed about in public recently, with the US Senate Homeland Security Committee holding a hearing into Covid-19. Eighteen schools in the Northern Rivers division of Richmond have received $25,000 each as part of the federal government’s School Upgrade Fund, Labor Member for Richmond Justine Elliot said last week. COVID-19 reversed earlier trends toward longer life expectancies. During the pandemic, life expectancies globally dropped by 1.6 years according to a new study published in the Lancet medical journal. Let’s not forget that Covid-19 is still a big issue in our community with 31,935 cases reported across Australia in the last week – an average of 4,562 cases per day. The Global Carbon Budget is about to be refreshed, giving the world a critical insight into how efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are (or are not) progressing. Masks will no longer be mandatory on public transport from tomorrow, Wednesday 21 September. SW Police are urging festival-goers at this weekend’s music festival to celebrate in a safe and responsible manner, whilst also being aware of COVID-Safety measures. The Northern NSW Local Health District reports that to 4pm yesterday, Sunday May 22, there were 40 COVID-19 positive patients in hospital in Northern NSW, with one of these in ICU.
COVID-19 reduces Australian life expectancy
Wuhan market increasingly likely origin point for COVID-19
Editorial – There’s a bat in my lab!
Fresh air federal funds for Northern Rivers schools in need
COVID-19 pandemic has cut life expectancy globally
COVID-19 update for New South Wales
Five graphs you need to see before the Global Carbon Budget...
Public transport mask mandate to end
NSW Police: be COVID-vigilant at Splendour in the Grass
COVID-19 update for the NNSWLHD – May 23
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