Changes to rules will ease isolation for vaxxed families of schoolchildren

Fully vaccinated families will no longer be stuck at home for two weeks isolating if their child is identified as a close contact of a Covid case.

Fully vaccinated families will no longer be stuck at home for two weeks isolating if their child is identified as a close contact of a Covid case following an overhaul of Education Department health rules.

Instead, one parent or guardian will self-nominate as the primary carer of the child during the 14-day isolation ­period, allowing the rest of the family to continue to enjoy their freedoms.

And as long as the primary carer is fully vaccinated, he or she will also be able to leave the home as long as high-risk or crowded settings are avoided.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell says the changes to isolation rules for schoolchildren are sensible. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

The changes, effective immediately, will apply only to fully ­vaccinated parents, with those who are yet to be double-jabbed still having to self-isolate with their children for the full two-week period.

The changes follow the state government launching a rapid antigen home testing (RAHT) trial last week, which will enable the time a child ­identified as a close contact has to self-isolate to be halved should they return a consistent negative result.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the changes were among a number of measures being discussed with NSW Health officials on how to reduce disruption to students and their families.

Another possible change could include closing individual classrooms for deep-cleaning instead of the entire school.

“These are sensible changes to the isolation rules,” Ms Mitchell said. “I want us to get to a point where we have no disruption of schools because of Covid, and I want that as soon as possible.”

Ms Mitchell said if the RAHT trial was successful, this would further cut the number of school closures.

As of Saturday, 26 NSW schools were closed as a result of Covid cases.

Mum Jessica is in a two-week self-isolation with her two children after her son was identified as a close contact.

The fully vaccinated Summer Hill resident, who requested her surname be withheld, said this meant her eldest daughter was unable to return to school, or attend swimming or dance lessons.

“We are meant to be ‘living with Covid’ but we feel we are back to square one,” she said. “We are in the same situation as someone who has Covid, even though we have all tested negative.”

CLUBS STUMPED IN SEARCH FOR VOLUNTEERS

Community sports organisations are struggling with a volunteers shortage, with many parents of older players not returning to clubs.

While youngsters are excited to get back to sport, the older participants have not rushed back, leaving clubs short of experienced coaches and administrators.

The Sport Australia AusPlay report found volunteering was trending downwards, from 17 per cent of Aussies volunteering, down to 15 per cent in the past ­financial year. Since the most ­recent lockdown, these rates are likely to be even lower.

Coach Ryan Hutton with Kellyville Ridge Cricket Club under-12s (from left) Hamza Badyari, 11, Simrat Maan, 10, Dev Patel, 12, and Om Patel, 10. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Ryan Hutton has volunteered at Kellyville Ridge Cricket Club for 11 years and said the club had struggled to get volunteers.

“There have been a couple of instances where we have been ­unable to confirm vaccination status for past volunteers, which has meant that we’ve had to find some new volunteers to help coach the kids,” Mr Hutton said.

“One of the other things that’s happened is that as a result of lockdown, people are chomping at the bit to play sport. So we’ve actually seen participation numbers at their highest levels.”

But Mr Hutton said the lockdowns meant many older kids didn’t come back to the sport — and their volunteering parents went with them.

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Originally published as Changes to rules will ease isolation for vaxxed families of schoolchildren