Australia is moving out of the ‘emergency phase’ of COVID-19 and towards a new normal.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the time for “COVID exceptionalism” is over.

Testing for the virus will no longer be used as a surveillance tool and it will instead be “more targeted”.

Going forward, patients will need to get a referral from a doctor in order to get a PCR test.

Infectious Disease Expert at the Australian National University Peter Collignon told John Stanley “it’s about time”.

Press PLAY below to hear more

Image: Getty