Isolation & testing requirements

Confirmed Cases and Probable Cases

According to the Department of Health, if you return a positive PCR, and you have not been determined as an ‘historic case’, and you have not tested positive for COVID and completed your quarantine period within the last 12 weeks, you are a confirmed case.

If you return a positive Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), and you have not been determined as an ‘historic case’, and you have not tested positive for COVID and completed your quarantine period within the last 12 weeks, you are a probable case.

As of 22 April 2022, quarantine requirements for confirmed and probable cases have changed.

Confirmed cases must quarantine for 7 days from the date of their first positive test result.

Probable cases who get a PCR test within 48 hours of their positive RAT result must quarantine from the date of their positive RAT until they receive a negative PCR result.

Probable cases who do not get a PCR test within 48 hours of their positive RAT result, or who return a positive PCR result from this test, must quarantine for 7 days from the date of their positive RAT result.

Confirmed and probable cases are entitled to Paid Special Leave for the duration of their required quarantine period. See our Financial Support page for more details.

Close Contacts and Social Contacts

A close contact is defined by the Department of Health as an individual who has not been a recently recovered COVID case, and:

• Who resides or stays overnight in the same premises as a confirmed or suspected COVID case, OR;
• Who has had 4 or more cumulative hours of contact in a residential setting with a confirmed COVID case during their infectious period, OR;
• Who has been notified by an officer or nominated representative of the Department of Health that they are a close contact.

As of 22 April 2022, the Department define a recently recovered case as someone who tested positive for COVID and completed their appropriate quarantine period within the last 12 weeks.

As of 22 April 2022, close contacts who are not recently recovered COVID cases are required to:

• Undertake 5 rapid antigen tests (RATs) spaced at least 24 hours apart within 7 days of exposure (“surveillance testing”)
• Inform the Department of Health if any RATs return positive within this 7 day period
• If 8 years old or above, wear a fitted face covering indoors when not in their self-quarantine premises
• Not visit high-risk settings (e.g. hospitals, care facilities)
• Notify your employer of your contact status and of the conditions that apply to you within 7 days of exposure

As of 22 April 2022, if you have been identified as a close contact, but you are a recently recovered case – meaning you had COVID and were released from your 7-day quarantine period within 12 weeks of being identified as a close contact – you are not required to quarantine, be furloughed from work, or undertake surveillance testing. As a healthcare worker, you are allowed to attend high-risk settings such as hospitals and care facilities.

If you are identified as a close contact and as a recently recovered case, and you develop COVID-related symptoms, the Department recommend that you get tested for COVID-19 and remain at home until your symptoms resolve.

A social contact is defined by the Department of Health as an individual who doesn’t meet the ‘close contact’ or ‘recent confirmed case’ definitions, and =

• Has had at least 15 minutes face-to-face contact with a confirmed or suspected COVID case during their infectious period, OR;
• Has had more than 2 hours within an indoor space with a confirmed or suspected COVID case during their infectious period

As of 22 April 2022, social contacts have no quarantine requirements.

Close contacts and social contacts can elect to self-quarantine for the 7-day period, but are no longer required to by the Department of Health as of 22 April 2022.

As such, HCWs who are household close contacts or social contacts and elect to self-quarantine are no longer eligible for Paid Special Leave unless they return a positive PCR or RAT result. See our Financial Support page for more details.

VAHPA are strongly disappointed by the lowering of testing and quarantine requirements and the subsequent impact it will have on healthcare workers’ safety in the workplace by stacking onto already growing COVID community transmissions and removing vital financial supports, heaping yet more pressure onto the health sector and Allied Health Professionals. Read VAHPA’s official statement from 11 January 2022 on this decision.

Read the 22 April updates to Contact Management protocols and Testing Requirements for close contacts and social contacts here.

View the Department of Health’s page about assessment and testing criteria for COVID-19 for health services and professionals.