From Saturday in South Australia, close contacts of COVID-19 cases will no longer have to quarantine, bringing the state into line with interstate rules.
The new rules announced last week will reduce the quarantine time from seven days to none, although there are still some things you will have to do if you are a close contact of a coronavirus case.
What are the new rules?
People who have spent four hours with a COVID-19 case or live in the same household as one are considered close contacts.
You may also be considered a close contact if notified by SA Health or if you have been to an exposure site listed on the department's website.
Rather than isolating for seven days, close contacts will instead have to take five rapid antigen tests (RATs) over a seven-day period following their exposure to the virus.
You will still need to get a PCR nasal swab test if you develop any flu-like symptoms.
Close contacts will also have to wear masks when outside the house and will be prohibited from visiting high-risk settings such as hospitals and aged care facilities.
Under the changes, you will have to notify your employers or educational facilities of your close contact status and you will be asked to avoid non-essential gatherings and those who are vulnerable.
Close contacts have been encouraged to work from home if possible.
When does the new regime start?
The new rules will be in place from 12:01am on Saturday, April 30.
If you are already in quarantine as a close contact, you can leave isolation when the rules change on Saturday morning, as long as you return a negative at-home test.
You will still need to quarantine for seven days from the day you return a positive result for COVID-19.
Where can I get RAT kits?
The main place to pick up free RATs is the collection point in Josie Agius Park in the southern Adelaide Parklands.
Cars can line up on Anzac Highway and enter from Greenhill Road to pick up their tests.
People can also walk in to pick up the kits.
Pick-up sites in Adelaide include the basketball arena on Crittenden Road in Findon, the Noarlunga Interchange car park, a site near the Lyell McEwin Hospital at the corner of Oldham and Mofflin roads in Elizabeth Vale, Osborne House at the Lefevre Recreation Reserve and The Paddocks Centre in Para Hills.
There are also pick-up sites in Balaklava, Booleroo Centre, Bordertown, Burra, Ceduna, Clare, Cleve, Coober Pedy, Cowell, Crystal Brook, Cummins, Elliston, Glossop, Hawker, Jamestown, Kingscote, Kimba, Kingston SE, Lameroo, Laura, Leigh Creek, Lock, Maitland, Meningie, Millicent, Mount Barker, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Naracoorte, Nuriootpa, Orroroo, Peterborough, Pinnaroo, Port Augusta, Port Broughton, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Quorn, Riverton, Roxby Downs, Snowtown, Streaky Bay, Tumby Bay, Victor Harbor, Wallaroo, Whyalla, Wudinna and Yorketown.
Opening times and addresses are available on the SA Health website.
RATs can also be bought from pharmacies and supermarkets.
What were the rules before?
Since March 25, close contacts in South Australia have had to spend seven days in quarantine.
They had to get a PCR nasal swab test immediately after they find out they are a close contacts as well as on their sixth day at home, or do RATs on their first, third, fifth and seventh day.
They were also banned from attending high-risk settings and had to wear a face mask in public.
Before March 25, close contacts had to spend 14 days in quarantine.
Until then, people were considered close contacts after spending just 15 minutes together without a mask.
The government also extended the time frame previously infected people were exempt from consideration as close contacts, from eight weeks to 12.
Why was the change made?
The rule change coming in on Saturday brings South Australia in line with other states.
The change also came after lobbying from the hospitality sector, which had been hard-hit by staff shortages caused by the close contact rules.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said more hospital beds had opened for COVID-19 patients.
His government has launched campaigns to encourage people to get their booster and flu shots and to improve the vaccination rate among children.
