Buckle up, because there are some new rules in town (again). With the current Covid-19 situation in South Australia, SA health yesterday announced new rules for those who are considered to be close contacts.
For those deemed close contacts, there are two testing methods available. You can either undergo a PCR test, or if you are showing no symptoms, you can choose to take Rapid Antigen Tests instead.
Previously, close contacts only needed to take two of the RATs, however in yesterday’s press conference, Chief Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier announced that effective immediately, close contacts will now need to take at least four rapid tests.
Professor Spurrier reinforced that “to improve the sensitivity of the RAT, close contacts without symptoms who chose Rapid Antigen Testing will be provided with a pack of 4 to 5 RATs” instead of the previous 2.
She said people should now be looking to rapid test on days 1, 3, 5 and 7.
The rational is centred around the fact that “we know that RATs are more likely to pick up the disease during the most infectious middle period of the disease” she says.
The understood implication is that PCR testing is far more accurate and trusted.
“RATs can be a great tool for regular surveillance testing, however PCR tests remain the gold standard test.”
Something that hasn’t changed however, is if you have COVID-19 symptoms and test negative using a RAT, you should still get a PCR test to confirm the negative result. If you get a positive RAT, this is accepted as being positive for Covid.
The demand for testing has been daunting for South Australians, following a previous backlog and long waiting times, however Premier Steven Marshall encourages people to go out and receive PCR tests, as they are now more accommodating and swifter.
“You can go and line up right now and have your results later in the day,” he said.
These new rules are now effective immediately.
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