Australia’s leaders are expected to revisit the debate on cutting the isolation period for COVID-19 cases from seven to five days.

The issue was raised at National Cabinet last month but was not backed by the Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly ahead of the BA.4/5 Omicron variant wave’s expected peak. 

But NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has signalled the need for the National Cabinet at its meeting next week to take a consistent approach and to look at the issue again.

Just under 150,000 Australians are currently classified as active cases subject to COVID-19 isolation orders, a number down from 380,000 in late July.