31 December 2021
ACT residents aged 12 and over who are fully vaccinated (as of 24 December): 98.5%
New cases of COVID-19 recorded in the ACT in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday: 462
Active cases: 1,658
Total number of cases since August 2021: 3,886
Patients in ACT hospitals as at 8pm yesterday: 6 (including 0 in intensive care and 0 ventilated)
Negative test results received in the 24 hours to 9am today: 4,211
Changes to quarantine requirements for close contacts and isolation for people who have tested positive to COVID-19
The ACT has adopted a nationally agreed definition and quarantine requirements for COVID-19 close contacts and isolation requirements for people who have tested positive.
A close contact is household contact (or household-like contact) of a confirmed COVID-19 case who usually lives with or has stayed in a house, accommodation or care facility with someone during their infectious period.
All close contacts, including unvaccinated individuals, must quarantine for 7 days from their date of exposure and have received a negative result from their day 1 and day 6 Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) to leave quarantine. If a RAT is not available, a PCR test should be undertaken.
Close contacts should still stay out of high-risk settings, like hospitals and aged care facilities, for another 7 days unless they are seeking urgent medical care or have prior approval.
A confirmed COVID-19 case must isolate for 7 days from the date their test was collected. Anyone who is currently in isolation as a confirmed case of COVID-19 from a test collected on or before 23 December 2021 can now leave. Clearance paperwork will follow.
ACT Health is currently updating its systems to reflect these changes.
Unvaccinated close contacts may still receive automated messages from ACT Health while these changes take effect. Please disregard the advice.
COVID-19 tests and travel certificates for international departures
People requiring a COVID-19 test and travel certificate prior to departing on an international flight can receive this service from Capital Pathology clinics (fees apply).
This service will no longer be provided at the Mitchell and Garran COVID-19 testing clinics.
International travellers are strongly encouraged to check with their destination, transit country and airline for travel requirements and recommended timeframe required to demonstrate a negative COVID-19 PCR test prior to leaving (results from Capital Pathology can take up to 48 hours).
More information on international travel testing is available on the Capital Pathology website.
Notes:
Detailed epidemiological updates on the COVID-19 situation in the ACT are currently provided weekly. The next report will be available on Wednesday 5 January 2022. Vaccination data from 24 December. The next vaccination update will be on Wednesday 5 January 2022.
