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WA border to open as more mine sites report COVID cases

WESTERN Australian premier Mark McGowan has announced the state will finally drop its hard border on March 3.

WA will welcome back travellers without quarantine from next Thursday

WA will welcome back travellers without quarantine from next Thursday

The government had faced increasing calls from the mining sector to set a new date after indefinitely delaying the original February 5 date last month.

From 12.01am AWST on March 3, triple-dose vaccinated interstate and international travellers will be permitted to enter WA with an approved G2G Pass as long as they undertake a rapid antigen test within 12 hours of arrival.

Unvaccinated international arrivals will be required to complete seven days of hotel quarantine.

"Throughout the pandemic we have been striving to keep WA safe, keep people in jobs and minimise the disruption that COVID brings to the wider community," McGowan said. 

"While this came with enormous pressure and at times has been understandably difficult for many people and their families, this has resulted in WA being one of the only places in the world to achieve a high third dose rate before widespread community transmission." 

Last week, BHP CEO Mike Henry praised the WA government for its efforts in curbing COVID-19 but said now was the time to reopen.

"I think everybody, including the WA government would recognise that at some point, things have to return to normal - it's just a question as to when that happens," he said.

"We believe, as do many others, that now's the time for borders to begin opening back up again."

Miners will be hoping the reopening will help to ease the state's chronic labour shortages.

From today, the indoor mask mandate has been expanded to the entire state, while a 2sq.m rule has been implemented for venues.

In advice to its members, the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies reminded miners and explorers masks would be required on mine and camp sites, while the 2sq.m rule would apply to site dining and gym facilities.

The news comes as BHP and Newcrest Mining each reportedly had a case within their Pilbara workforces last week.

Mineral Resources confirmed a positive case of COVID-19 at its Mt Marion lithium mine in the Goldfields on Friday.

"The employee, who was working as part of the exploration team and was not a resident at the Mt Marion camp, presented to the site medical centre when feeling unwell. The employee had returned a negative PCR test before flying to site on Tuesday," a spokesman for the company said.

"All protocols were followed and the infected employee and close contacts were isolated as per government guidelines and in line with Mineral Resources' COVID-19 Management Plan. The close contacts underwent PCR testing, with all returning a negative test result."

MinRes said there had been no impact to operations.

"Our detailed COVID-19 Management Plan prepared us for this type of scenario and has assisted us with managing this infection in the best interests of our workforce and the business," the spokesman said.

"Mineral Resources' priority is to protect the jobs and health of our people, which is why we are doing everything possible to keep COVID-19 out of our business."

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