Who is a close contact?

In South Australia a ‘close contact’ is defined as someone who is one of the following:

• a household member or intimate partner of a person with COVID-19 during their infectious period
• has had close personal interaction with a person with COVID-19 for a cumulative period of 4 hours or more during their infectious period:
  • where masks are not worn by the person and the COVID-19 case and
  • in close physical proximity (within 1.5 metres) and
  • in an indoor setting
• has been notified by SA Health that they are a close contact
• has been to an exposure site listed on the SA Health website.

People with COVID-19 are considered infectious two days before their symptoms started or if they didn’t have any noticeable symptoms, they are considered infectious two days before they had their positive COVID-19 test taken. 

If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, get a PCR test as soon as possible.

What does a close contact need to do?

Updates have been made to the close contact requirements in South Australia. If you are a close contacts, you are no longer required to quarantine for 7 days. However, to protect the community, in particular people at risk or with health vulnerabilities, it is important you follow the below close contact guidelines.

If you are a close contact, you must:

• wear a mask when you leave the house for 7 days after your exposure date (12 years and older)
• undertake 5 rapid antigen tests over the 7 days after your exposure date (with at least 24 hours between tests and one test on day 7)
• report your rapid antigen test results if you test positive
• not attend Tier 1 sensitive settings for 14 days after your exposure date, except for the purposes of obtaining medical care or medical supplies, or except if you are an emergency services worker attending to respond to an emergency
• not attend Tier 2 sensitive settings for 7 days after exposure date, except for the purposes of obtaining medical care or medical supplies, or except if you are an emergency services worker attending to respond to an emergency
• notify your employer or school or early childcare settings that you are a close contact

In addition to the above mandatory requirements, it is strongly recommended you:

• avoid non-essential gatherings for 7 days after your exposure date
• avoid contact with people at risk of severe illness for 7 days after your exposure date
• work from home where possible
• report your rapid antigen test results even if you test negative
• notify healthcare and high risk setting prior to arrival for, medical care or medical supplies

If you are quarantining with other people, you do not need to restart the above requirements each time another person in the house tests positive.