What Is the Definition of a Close Contact Nsw
This means that Western Australia will maintain its current rules of close contact and isolation for the time being. Close contacts must follow the guidelines for seven days once someone in the household of a close contact has tested positive for COVID-19. Commenting on the new public health facilities, New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said lifting the self-isolation requirement for close contacts was a “common sense” change. Further restrictions will be eased as the state progresses and emerges from the pandemic, he added, noting the high vaccination rates in New South Wales. In some jurisdictions, a person has not had some time to devote to a positive case of COVID to define as close contact. These are family contacts, social contacts, work contacts, educational contacts and other contacts. In the family environment, you may be identified as a close contact if: “You live with someone who has contracted COVID-19 or has spent more than four hours with them in a private apartment, shelter or care facility.” It is a similar message from the Northern Territory which states: “Close contact is a person who has been close enough to a person with COVID-19 while contagious that it is possible that they may have been infected with COVID-19.” If you require an interpreter, please contact the National Translation and Interpretation Service (TIS) on 131 450. This service is free and confidential. Yesterday, Morrison said: “It is important that we move to a new definition of close contact that allows Australia to keep moving so that people can get on with their lives.” Now, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says a close contact will be someone who has spent four hours or more with a confirmed case in a household or household-like setting, such as a hospital care facility. Until now, this definition has been different in each state and territory. “A person may still be in close contact if they have spent less than 15 minutes face-to-face with a case, but there is some risk of transmission based on: one or both people are not vaccinated; PPE was not used correctly; setting increases risk, e.g. is indoors, small space, poor ventilation; the specific variant of COVID-19; The type of exposure increases the risk, such as shouting or singing. “These contacts would only have to quarantine for seven days and take a rapid antigen test (RAT) on the sixth day.” Close contacts include: All members of your household, someone who has spent more than 4 hours with you (this can be 4 hours in a row or 4 hours from shorter times) in the same room or a small area in a house, building, housing, care facility.
In a statement, New South Wales Health Secretary Brad Hazzard said close contact was not allowed to visit aged care facilities, hospitals, disability facilities and correctional facilities. Close contacts were also necessary, where possible, to undergo a rapid antigen test (RAT) before meeting people outside their household. Updated at 9:35 a.m. on Friday 31. December to reflect updates in South Australia. With Australia experiencing tens of thousands of COVID cases every day and the country`s testing system reaching its limits, most states and territories have agreed on a national definition of close contact. Close contacts are now classified as someone who spent four or more hours on a confirmed case in a household or household-like environment. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who said the move was “practical” and designed to ease pressure on the country`s cumbersome COVID testing systems, presented the new definition after a national cabinet meeting on Thursday (December 30). “Except in exceptional cases, close contact is only a household contact or a household-like case of a confirmed case,” he said.
“So you`re only close contact if you`re living effectively with someone or if you`ve spent more than four hours in a shelter with someone who is actually sick with COVID.” [It`s] not someone who is in contact with someone who has had COVID. Individuals who meet the new definition of close contact must be quarantined for seven days from the date of exposure. People without symptoms should self-test with a rapid antigen test on day six, and if they test negative, they can come out of isolation on day seven. Those who test positive should take a PCR test. Symptomatic close contacts should undergo PCR testing. The new definition came into force at midnight Thursday in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. Tasmania will do the same on January 1, while the Northern Territory has announced its plans in the coming days. It appears South Australia will oppose the changes, with Premier Steven Marshall outlining the state`s definition of close contact in a Facebook post on Friday morning. According to the Prime Minister, South Africa will define close contact as follows: Guidelines include wearing a face mask indoors (outside the home), avoiding contact with elderly or immunocompromised people, and working from home when possible.