Close contacts of COVID cases will need to quarantine for seven days if they are fully vaccinated while the unvaccinated must quarantine for 14 days, as part of a modified contact management system.
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Premier Peter Gutwein announced the updated system on Friday ahead of borders fully reopening on December 15.
Close and casual contacts
Vaccinated close contacts of a COVID case will need to quarantine for a week from the date of their exposure, be tested immediately and at day 5 or 6, and then leave quarantine if negative, before being tested again on day 12.
When back out in the community, they must wear a mask when around vulnerable people and where they cannot physically distance until day 14.
The same requirements will apply to unvaccinated people who live in the same household as a close contact, whereas vaccinated people in the same household do not need to quarantine.
For unvaccinated close contacts of a COVID case, they will be required to quarantine for 14 days and get tested immediately, on day 5 or 6, and day 12 or 13, and can leave on day 14 if testing negative.
An example of a close contact is someone who sat next to a COVID case in a car, or at the same table in a restaurant or office space.
Casual contacts are those who spent less than 15 minutes near a COVID case with limited direct contact.
They will not need to quarantine, but will be tested between day 3 and 5.
And for COVID-positive cases, the government expects that the vast majority of cases who have been vaccinated will be able to remain at home, with 2500 "COVID at Home" kits available. They will be interviewed by Public Health to determine the appropriateness of remaining at home, based on various risk factors.
For visitors in Tasmania who need to quarantine, they can carry this out at the accommodation where they are staying.
Business closures?
Mr Gutwein said the goal would be to keep businesses operating, even if they become exposure sites.
He used the examples of Newnham IGA and Woolworths Bridgewater as ways in which businesses could quickly resume operating normally.
"We want businesses to remain open and continue trading, closure would only be a last resort option ... if businesses were unsafe for staff or patrons," Mr Gutwein said.
All businesses must complete risk assessments to determine which of their staff would require vaccination, using the state's Occupational Health and Safety laws as a guide.
Mr Gutwein confirmed that "targeted" localised lockdowns could still be implemented if COVID outbreaks reached a significant threshold.
Head of Tasmania's Public Health emergency operations centre, Dr Julie Graham, said the aim of the business support measures and contact tracing methods was to reduce disruption where possible.
"The aim of our new processes ... is that we can limit the number of people that need to be quarantined and also the reduce the amount of time they need to be in quarantine," she said.
"Our aim is to work with individuals and businesses to make sure they have provided the safest environments for both their staff and those that are visiting their premises."
Vaccination rates approach target
Over 84 per cent of Tasmanians aged 12 and above are fully vaccinated, and 92 per cent have received one dose.
But there were concerns about 26,500 Tasmanians who were yet to have their second dose, with 38,000 appointments available per week.
About 95 per cent of Tasmanians aged 70 and above are fully vaccinated, and 90 per cent of those aged 50 and above.
There were still about 30,000 people aged 16 and above yet to receive any vaccination.
The state has purchased rapid antigen testing that will first be provided to hospital emergency departments.
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