What are South Australia’s COVID-19 new close contact rules, which began on Saturday, April 30?
Close contacts of COVID-19 patients will no longer need to be quarantined in South Australia starting Saturday, which aligns the state with interstate regulations.
The new rules announced last week would decrease quarantine from seven to none. However, you still need to do things if your close contact is a coronavirus patient.
What are the new rules for a company?
Close contacts are people who spend four hours with a COVID-19 victim or who live in the same house as one.
If SA Health has notified you or your visit to an exposed site is listed on the department’s website, you may be considered a close friend.
Instead of isolating for seven consecutive days, close friends will be required to perform five rapid antigen testing (RATs) within seven days after exposure to the virus.
You will still need to undergo a PCR nasal swab if you have flu-like symptoms.
Close friends will need to wear masks outside the house and will not be allowed into high-risk settings like hospitals or aged care facilities.
The changes will require informing your employer or educational facility of your close contact status. You will also be asked to avoid gatherings that are not essential and to protect vulnerable people.
It is encouraged for close friends to work remotely.
When will the new system start?
The new rules will take effect on Saturday, April 30, at 12:01 am
You can leave isolation if you have been in quarantine for close contact. However, returning a positive at-home test is essential if you are already in quarantine.
You must still quarantine for seven consecutive days after you receive a positive COVID-19 result.
Where can I find RAT kits?
You can pick up rats at no cost from Josie Agius Park in the southern Adelaide Parklands.
Cars can line up along Anzac Highway to pick up their test results.
The kits can be picked up by anyone who walks in.
Adelaide has several pick-up locations, including the basketball court on Crittenden Road, Findon, and the Noarlunga Interchange parking lot, located near Lyell McEwin hospital at the corner of Oldham and Mifflin roads. Osborne House at Lefevre Recreation Reserve, The Paddocks Centre, Para Hills.
You can also pick it up at the following locations: Balaklava, Booleroo Centre, and Bordertown.
The SA Health website has information about opening times and addresses.
You can also buy RATs at supermarkets and pharmacies.
What were the rules before this?
Close contacts from South Australia have been quarantined since March 25.
They were required to have a PCR nasal swab done immediately after discovering they were close contacts.
They were also prohibited from going to high-risk locations and required to wear a mask in public.
Close contacts had to spend 14 days in quarantine before March 25.
Before then, people were considered close friends after only 15 minutes spent together without wearing masks.
The government extended the exclusion period for close contact with previously infected persons from 8 to 12 weeks.
What was the reason for the change?
South Australia will be in line with other states by the rule change that takes effect on Saturday.
This was also after lobbying by the hospitality sector. The sector had been severely affected by staff shortages due to the strict contact rules.
Premier Peter Malinauskas stated that more hospital beds were opened for COVID-19 patients.
His government launched campaigns to encourage people to get their flu shots and improve the vaccine rate among children.