Page 1058 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 3 May 2022
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It is important, however, for the community to still be conscious that household contacts continue to be at greatest risk of developing COVID-19 compared with other people in the community. Canberrans should therefore continue to do everything they can to minimise their movement within the community and exposure to others, particularly those at highest risk of severe disease, if they are household contacts. Workplaces and businesses also need to ensure that they put in place appropriate work health and safety protocols if there is mutual agreement for an employee who is a household contact to return to the workplace.
It is important to note that all asymptomatic household contacts will be allowed to temporarily leave quarantine to vote in the federal election on 21 May. However, they must wear a face mask and return a negative RAT result in the 24 hours prior to attending a polling place.
There are currently no changes to isolation requirements for confirmed COVID-19 cases. Individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 must continue to isolate for seven days. Once recovered, they do not need to isolate, quarantine or test for 12 weeks from their date of clearance. ACT Health does advise recovered cases to still stay at home if they develop any respiratory illness symptoms during the 12-week period to avoid transmission of other viruses, particularly as we head into winter.
In addition, from 11.59 pm on 29 April, the ACT government removed quarantine requirements for unvaccinated international travellers intending to travel to the ACT. It should be noted, however, that these travellers may still be required to seek approval from their port of entry to onward travel to the ACT as not all jurisdictions have removed quarantine requirements for unvaccinated international travellers. All international travellers are still strongly encouraged to get a COVID-19 test within 24 hours of arrival in Australia if they intend to travel to the ACT.
Madam Speaker, the ACT government has also made changes to COVID-19 risk mitigation requirements within schools and early childhood education and care settings for the start of term 2. From 11.59 pm on 25 April, the requirement for face masks to be worn in indoor spaces at schools and early childhood education and care settings was removed from the public health direction.
It is still recommended that masks be worn by adults and students in years 7 to 12 when in small indoor settings, excluding general classroom settings, where physical distancing is not possible, when required to do so through a public health direction or when otherwise required by employers as part of work health and safety arrangements.
Staff and visitors to school sites will no longer need to check in using the Check In CBR app under a public health direction. Schools and ECECs are asked to continue displaying their QR codes for voluntary use and for use by event organisers who hire school facilities where there is a requirement for Check In CBR to be used.
School systems and independent schools and ECECs now need to consider the potential implications of these changes and review their COVID-safety measures. In
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