Currently, a close contact is defined by NSW Health as a person who has been to a place where an infectious person has been, or a household contact in a case.
But in an attempt to stop thousands of people from spending Christmas in isolation, it has been announced that there are fewer circumstances that will be considered close contact events.
Fully vaccinated close contacts should only be isolated until they receive a negative PCR result, the NSW government said today.
However, household close contacts and close contacts in other settings identified by NSW Health will still be required to isolate for seven days and comply with PCR test requirements.
Some public events where transmission has taken place, such as the Newcastle nightclub or graduations where many people have tested positive, will still be considered close contact events.
“To meet (the definition) of a close contact, you need to reach a fairly high bar,” said NSW Chief Health Officer Dr. Kerry Chant today.
She added that NSW Health “streamlines the procedures”.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard warned today that cases could rise to 25,000 by the end of January.
The state registered more than 1,300 new cases today for the first time since September, sparking concerns about the portability of the Omicron variant.
“The vaccines do not stop the transmission,” Mr Hazzard said today.
“(But) it seems that the severity of the disease is not as bad as it was with previous variants of coronavirus.”
He has urged people to avoid crowded indoor areas and continue to wear a mask, regardless of whether the rules are relaxed today.
“I would encourage everyone to continue wearing the mask in indoor environments,” added Dr. Chant.
She also asked people to “think about the options” people catch up and celebrate in, reminding them that outdoor activities are much safer.
If you get COVID-19, you still need to isolate yourself for 10-14 days, said NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, urging people to take “personal responsibility”.
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