Covid-19, Rachel Stephen-Smith: ACT Government to scrap close contact quarantine requirements

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith has announced the ACT will follow NSW and Victoria by scrapping quarantine requirements for close contacts.

The ACT will follow NSW and Victoria by scrapping quarantine requirements for close contacts from April 26.

From 11.59pm on April 26 household contacts of Covid-19 cases will not be required to quarantine if they do not have Covid-19 symptoms.

However household contacts will be required to minimise their movement in the community, and follow the following rules:

• Household contacts contact ACT Health and complete an online declaration form.
• Contacts aged 12 and over must wear a face mask in all indoor spaces when outside of the home.
• Household contacts are recommended to work or study at home if possible.
• Contacts must notify their employer or education institution that they are a household contact.
• Household contacts who cannot work or study at home must test for Covid-19 and return a negative result in the 24 hours prior to returning to work or study and then every 48 hours.
• Household contacts must not enter high risk settings including aged care or hospital unless they reside there or need care.

People who test positive for Covid-19 in the Nation’s capital are still required to isolate themselves for seven days.

ACT will follow NSW and Victoria in scrapping quarantine requirements for household contacts. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Wayne Taylor

Additionally from 11.59pm on April 29 quarantine requirements for unvaccinated travellers will be removed.

However all international travellers arriving in the ACT will be “encouraged” to get a Covid-19 test within 24 hours of their arrival.

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the ACT Government would continue to review Covid-19 requirements “to ensure that restrictions remain proportionate”.

“These changes to quarantine requirements will provide relief to many workplaces and businesses that have been under pressure due to workforce shortages,” she said.

“The ACT Government recognises that we need to balance the additional risks of Covid transmission if household contacts are not quarantining with the impact of quarantine on workplaces, individuals and families.

“The risk of COVID-19 is still real and people who are household contacts should still do everything they can to minimise their exposure to others.”