Isolation overhaul to ease NSW Covid-19 burden

People who contract Covid-19 but are asymptomatic would be required to isolate for only five days under a proposal favoured by some NSW government officials, including the Premier.

The Covid-19 testing clinic at Bondi Beach, eastern Sydney, before opening on Tuesday. One NSW proposal would ease isolation requirements for those who contract the virus to preserve the running of small businesses. Picture: Getty Images

People who contract Covid-19 but are asymptomatic for the virus would be required to isolate for only five days before being ­allowed back into the community, under a proposal favoured by some NSW government officials, including the Premier, as part of an overhaul of the state’s quarantine protocols.

The Australian has learned that NSW Health has also quietly revamped its contact tracing ­regime for the vast majority of close contacts of Covid-19 cases, removing the requirement for them to isolate for seven days; close contacts only need to isolate until they receive a negative PCR test, officials confirmed.

Anticipating a substantial increase in Covid-19 cases, senior government officials are weighing several strategies for how the state should respond to the Omicron variant and a rapid rise in ­infections next year.

One proposal would include easing isolation requirements for those who contract the virus to preserve the running of small businesses and limit disruption to the broader economy.

The Perrottet government is understood to be examining a response that would be modelled on advice issued by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which approved a reduction in isolation from 10 days to five days for Covid-positive patients, provided they are asymptomatic.

The COVID-19 testing site at Roselands, southwest Sydney, on Tuesday. Picture: Gaye Gerard

The CDC said its decision was predicated upon a growing body of research showing Covid-19 transmission occurred early in a person’s illness, namely prior to symptom onset, and in the immediate days following.

The advice further stated that anyone who had contracted the virus should seek a test five days after their initial exposure and that, once back in the community, those who have not received a booster should wear a mask for an additional five days.

A NSW government official familiar with the matter said Premier Dominic Perrottet was examining the US model and was supportive of its guidance as part of a “balanced approach” to living with the virus in 2022.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet. Picture: David Swift

Currently, people with confirmed cases of Covid-19 must isolate for 10 days from the day they received their first test, whether or not they are fully vaccinated. Those who do not display symptoms for the virus are permitted to leave isolation from day seven.

But the official added that the need for booster shots would remain crucial, as would the need for widespread use of rapid antigen testing. Mr Perrottet announced on Tuesday that 20 million rapid antigen tests would arrive in NSW by the end of next month.

Health and government officials have been working to overhaul the state’s contact tracing regime in recent weeks to reduce the number of people isolating or seeking PCR tests because they are close contacts of cases.

“As we move into 2022, as we are living alongside the virus, taking personal responsibility, rapid antigen tests will be key,” Mr Perrottet said on Tuesday.

NSW Health confirmed that it had overhauled its contact tracing regime to accommodate the “growing number of people in the community exposed to cases of Covid-19”.

“NSW Health will be contacting a much smaller number of people exposed to Covid-19 to ­direct them into self-isolation under the public health order,” a NSW Health statement said.

“Most people who have been in contact with a person with Covid-19 in an indoor setting are told to get tested and self-isolate until they get a negative result. Whenever that negative test result is received, they can leave isolation.”

Those who develop symptoms once released from isolation should return to isolation and seek a second test, according to the updated guidance.

In addition to forcing the closure of some small businesses, the rise in Covid-19 cases and their corollary of close contacts has seen about 1800 healthcare workers forced to isolate, causing staff shortages that have strained the efficiency of some facilities.

On Tuesday, Mr Perrottet announced a further easing of isolation restrictions for healthcare workers, reducing the isolation time from seven days to two days for those who receive a negative PCR test on their second day of isolation. The decision was likely to halve the number of furloughed staff, an official said.

Healthcare workers who are a household contact of a confirmed case will still need to isolate for seven days, but this has been reduced from the previous benchmark of 14 days.

There were 6602 fresh cases of Covid-19 recorded overnight on Tuesday, according to NSW Health, with 557 people in hospital and 60 people requiring intensive care.

Further advice was released by NSW Health on Tuesday updating its previous guidance for people under the age of 50 advising them to manage their Covid-19 symptoms at home; this has been revised to include all people under the age 65.

In light of extraordinarily long queuing for Covid-19 tests, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard called on Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday to bring forward her proposal to end the requirement for PCR tests for people visiting the state.

Mr Perrottet said close to one third of all tests being conducted in NSW were “tourism tests” for those seeking to travel interstate for the holidays.

Ms Palaszczuk has flagged that her state could scrap its testing requirements in a matter of days, but Mr Hazzard said the need to do so sooner would be of great assistance to everyone.