(1) An authorised
officer may do all or any of these —
(a)
close any premises, or direct any person to close any premises;
(b)
direct any person to enter, not to enter, or to leave any premises;
(c)
direct any person to remain at any premises for any period specified by the
officer;
(d)
enter any premises and search for and seize anything for the purpose of
investigating, preventing, controlling or abating the serious public health
risk;
(e)
require a person to provide information or answer questions for the purpose of
investigating, preventing, controlling or abating the serious public health
risk;
(f)
enter and inspect any premises for the purpose of preventing, controlling or
abating the serious public health risk;
(g)
require any premises to be cleaned or disinfected for the purpose of
preventing, controlling or abating the serious public health risk;
(h)
require the destruction or disposal of anything for the purpose of preventing,
controlling or abating the serious public health risk;
(i)
direct any person to remain quarantined from other
persons for any period, and in any reasonable manner, specified by the
officer;
(j)
direct any person to undergo medical observation, medical examination or
medical treatment or to be vaccinated, as specified by the officer;
(k)
take, or direct another person to take, any action that the authorised officer
considers is reasonably necessary to prevent, control or abate the serious
public health risk.
(2) A power under
subsection (1) to enter any premises may be exercised without a warrant or the
consent of the occupier of the premises or, in the case of a vehicle, the
owner of the vehicle.
(3) The period
specified under subsection (1)(c) or (i) must not be more than 24 hours unless
the Chief Health Officer has authorised a longer period to be specified in
relation to the person.
(4) A direction under
subsection (1)(a), (b), (c), (i), (j) or (k) may be given to a class of person
or in respect of a class of premises.
(5) A direction under
subsection (1)(a), (b), (c), (i) or (k) that is given to a class of person or
in respect of a class of premises —
(a) need
not be given directly to the persons to whom it applies; and
(b)
despite the Interpretation Act 1984 section 41 (to the extent to which it
applies), need not be published in the Gazette ; and
(c) must
be published in the manner that the Minister considers suitable in the
circumstances of the serious public health incident.
[Section 157 amended: No. 33 of 2020 s. 6.]