Premier Steven Marshall rules out reducing quarantine for Covid positive cases

Quarantine time for Covid positive South Australians will remain at 10 days despite interstate authorities considering implementing a five-day iso requirement.

Covid positive South Australians will remain in quarantine for 10 days despite interstate authorities considering halving that period of isolation for positive cases.

Premier Steven Marshall said he was not on board with a proposal to reduce the time an infectious person should have to isolate to five days.

National cabinet will meet on Thursday, with discussions on the lowered quarantine requirements expected.

It comes after 3482 new cases were recorded on Wednesday, with three more deaths.

“That’s not one that we will be signing up, we’re at 10 days to here in South Australia,” Mr Marshall told ABC Radio Adelaide on Thursday.

Premier Steven Marshall. NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

“We know that patients still have symptoms after five days, in fact after seven days, we know that from the surveys that we take, we don't want a whole pile of people who are infectious … out getting more people infected in South Australia.

“It’s very clear to me that we still have a huge number of people with symptoms after day five, and we would just be literally lighting a fire in South Australia if we allow them to leave quarantine after five days, they would just be out there infecting other people and then we’d have another wave in South Australia.”

A family at home isolating. Picture: iStock

He ruled out reducing the isolation time for Covid positive cases to seven days, but said it could be considered at a later date.

“It’s a possibility, but not immediately, because it’s six of one half a dozen of the other, you will get more people infected at work if somebody comes back early, they've got symptoms after seven days, and then all of a sudden they're infecting other people,” he said.

“We do have a more prudent approach in South Australia but I think in the longer term that’s proven to be most successful.

“We are at a point at the moment where 10 days is the optimal time for us.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said a five-day isolation period after testing positive for Covid was being considered, but Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly was erring against it.

“The most recent information that we have is that post-five days you’ve still got 30 per cent that are remaining infectious,” Mr Morrison said.

“I know the Chief Medical Officer has many sleepless nights over this one because we ask him about it regularly … so if he’s in a position to tell me that we can make a change like that, then that would be something that we would proceed with.”