COVID-19 | Changes to Close Contact Procedures

Dear Parents and Guardians,

People up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations and children up to year 12 in school

If you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations, having had at least three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, you do not need to isolate if you are a close contact. All children, including children in school up to year 12, who are close contacts also do not need to isolate.

From the date you were last in contact with the infectious person you must:

• have a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test:
  • within three days of becoming a close contact
  • on day six of becoming a close contact
• for seven days wear a mask when indoors at a place which is not your residence
• for seven days wear a mask when outdoors when you cannot maintain a distance of 1.5 metres from other people
• for seven days avoid visiting high risk settings such as a hospital, disability shared care house, residential aged care facility or correctional facility
• inform your employer or school that you are a close contact.

Students from year 3 in primary school are strongly encouraged to wear masks while indoors, including at school.

It is also recommended that you:

• work from home if you can
• avoid contact with people who at risk of severe illness from COVID-19
• avoid large or crowded indoor gatherings
• have a Rapid Antigen Test before attending indoor gatherings with people you don’t live with, your workplace or education facilities.

You must immediately isolate and have a COVID-19 test if you develop symptoms. You will need to remain isolated until your symptoms resolve.

If you receive a positive COVID-19 test at any time, you must isolate immediately for at least seven days from the day the test was taken.

Further information can be found at: https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/stay-safe/living-with-covid-19/close-contacts