The NSW government has eased COVID-19 isolation rules for close contacts, meaning those deemed to be, no longer have to isolate for seven days as long as a daily negative rapid antigen test is returned.
From 6pm on Friday 22 April, close contacts will not have to isolate as long as they have no symptoms and not visit high-risk settings, including hospitals and aged care facilities, wear a face mask in indoor settings, undertake daily RAT tests before coming into contact with people outside your home, avoid contact with elderly and immunocompromised people, work from home where possible and notify employer/education facility that you are a close contact.
Chief Health Officer DR KERRY CHANT has confirmed the state is on the other side of the BA-2 Omicron Covid wave, but the plateau of cases is flat and the decline will be slow.
“We are expecting the levels of transmission in the community to remain at high levels and therefore in relation to those close contacts we are also putting in a range of risk mitigation measures.
“It’s important to recognise that the nature of household contacts poses a significant risk for transmission and we are aware that people can get reinfected.
Meantime, on the local COVID front, the Hunter New England remains at the top of the states daily COVID-19 case numbers, recording 2,069 new infections.
The region has also sadly recorded another virus related death — a woman in her 70s from Lake Macquarie, while 84 people are being cared for in hospital, three in ICU.