Big change to Covid isolation rules

Asymptomatic healthcare staff in the state’s public and private sector who are classified as close contacts will be allowed to leave self-isolation if deemed essential to service delivery and it is approved by a senior manager based on risk assessment.

NSW Health revealed the move late Friday night, saying the change is to ensure key services are not disrupted as the virus spreads through the state.

“If these workers develop any symptoms of COVID-19 they must immediately seek a PCR test and not attend the workplace until a negative result is received,” a statement read.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard signed the exemption to the Public Health Order on Friday as case numbers almost doubled, plunging tens of thousands of people into self-isolation.

The exemption allows close contacts to leave isolation to attend their workplace, provided they have been identified by their employer as critical to the service and cannot work from home.

“Under the exemption, healthcare workers must travel directly to and from their residence to their workplace,” NSW Health said.

“They are required to wear a mask at all times in their workplace, unless eating or drinking or providing services where it needs to be removed.”

“These workers are also required to comply with risk-management strategies put in place by their employer.”

Mr Hazzard on Friday revealed the system was under pressure as 2000 workers had been struck out either with Covid-19 or as a close contact.

The new changes come after the state rules were relaxed on Monday to allow healthcare staff deemed as close contacts to isolate for just seven days instead of 14.

National cabinet then agreed to make a seven-day isolation period standard for all close contacts across multiple states and territories.

With 21,151 new cases recorded on Friday the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 rose to 832, an increase of 450 in just one week.

Originally published as Asymptomatic NSW health workers will be exempt from isolating