Close contacts of COVID cases in Tasmania will no longer need to quarantine for seven days, but will still be required to follow a range of public health measures.
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Premier Jeremy Rockliff made the announcement on Wednesday to come into effect from 12.01am this coming Monday, May 2, following on from similar decisions made by Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
Close contacts - those who live in the same household as confirmed COVID cases - will still be required to take daily rapid antigen tests, wear masks when in indoor spaces outside of the home, advise their workplace and avoid aged care homes and hospitals.
They will be required to test and isolate immediately should they develop symptoms.
Mr Rockliff said they would be advised to work from home if possible, while some workplaces might put in place their own policies around this.
COVID cases will continue to be required to isolate for seven days.
Mr Rockliff said the change was made after considering public health and national advice over the past week.
He said the public still needed to be aware that COVID was circulating in the community.
"COVID continues to circulate within our community and it is all our responsibility, every single one of us as Tasmanians [must] follow the COVID safe behaviour. They simply must continue," Mr Rockliff said.
These included hand hygiene, social distancing, test when they have symptoms, stay home if unwell, wear masks if required and be vaccinated.
Tasmania recorded 1213 new cases on Wednesday morning and another death - a 75-year-old woman in the Royal Hobart Hospital - the 49th COVID death since the start of the pandemic. Fourteen people are being treated in hospital specifically for COVID, and one person is in intensive care.
Case numbers had been on a downward trend in the second half of April.
Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said case numbers among school-age children had been reducing, and the largest cohort for cases had become people aged 20 to 40.
About 100 people aged 70 or over are being diagnosed per day, he said, which remained a concern.
"It hasn't gone away, it's still present in our community and it's still affecting vulnerable people," Dr Veitch said.
Close contacts become COVID cases about 20-30 per cent of the time, Dr Veitch said.
Check-in TAS app to be further scaled back
The Check-In TAS app will no longer need to be used at Tasmanian hospitality venues from Monday, Dr Veitch confirmed.
He said public health "haven't found a use for that app in recent weeks".
Some venues may choose to continue to require checking in.
Dr Veitch extended the public health emergency earlier this month by eight weeks, rather than the usual 12 weeks.
He said this was due to the likelihood of further public health measures to be removed, including various mask wearing requirements.
The removal of close contact isolation requirements was considered the next step, and it will be reviewed in coming weeks before further measures are removed, Dr Veitch said.
Masks are still required in secondary schools.
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