No mass return to office, says AMA

Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid said the growing Adelaide COVID-19 cluster showed Australia was not out of the woods yet.

"While infection numbers generally give us cause for optimism, the South Australian outbreak this week shows that the virus is still in the community," Dr Khorshid said.

"The only way to keep these numbers low is to continue to follow the habits that have proven so effective in getting Australia to such an enviable position.

"Efforts by government to significantly ease restrictions, combined with the relaxation of work-from-home directives, will significantly increase the rate of contact and movement in the community and make Australia less resilient in times when outbreaks occur."

He said the virus could spread to people who were more than 1.5 metres away, particularly in enclosed and poorly ventilated areas.

"Encouraging people to return to the workplace will put an added strain on our public transport systems, where social distancing is not possible," he said.

"Working from home minimises the possibility of workplace transmission, reduces the geographic spread of the virus and makes our public transport systems safer.

"This helps to protect workers in essential industries, as well as those who are not in a position to work from home."

ACT AMA president Antonio Di Dio said with no community transmission in the ACT, a controlled return to the workplace for fit and healthy people was reasonable.

"If you are in a vulnerable group, talk to your family doctor and see if it's the right thing for you to do, or if you're better off at home," he said.

Dr Di Dio said the decision required nuance, with the mental health and productivity factors needing to be weighed up against the public health risks.