Household Contacts
Who is a Household Contact
You are a Household Contact if you live with someone who tests positive for COVID-19.
A Household Contact:
- shares a house or flat on a permanent or part-time basis (for example, shared custody) with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, and
- has spent at least 1 night or day in the same home while the person was infectious.
These people may be Close Contacts, but are not Household Contacts:
- People who live in the same group accommodation as the person with COVID-19 (for example, in aged residential care facilities, halls of residences, boarding houses, hostels, backpackers, and transitional housing).
- Partners who do not live with the person who has COVID-19 but may have spent a night together.
If you have not had COVID-19 in the past 3 months
Whether you are fully vaccinated or not, you will need to:
- isolate for 7 days, starting from the day the person with COVID-19 tests positive or their symptoms started — whichever came first, and
- get a test for COVID-19 on Day 3, and on Day 7 of the isolation period, or sooner if you develop symptoms. If you test positive, follow the guidance for people with COVID-19. If you develop symptoms but test negative, do another rapid antigen test (RAT) 48 hours later.
While you are isolating, try to avoid contact with the person who has COVID-19.
When you can leave self-isolation
Your isolation ends at the same time as the first person in your household who had COVID-19 if:
- your Day 7 test was negative
- you have no new or worsening symptoms.
For further guidance and advice, visit the COVID-19 Health Hub:
I am a household contact of someone with COVID-19 | COVID-19 Health Hub (external link)
If more than 1 person in your household tests positive
If more than 1 person in your household tests positive after the first person, you do not need to restart your isolation period.
Only restart your 7-day isolation period if you test positive on Day 3 or Day 7, or develop new or worsening symptoms.
If you have recovered from COVID-19
Once you have recovered from COVID-19, you do not need to isolate again for 3 months — even if someone you live with tests positive.
This is because the risk of reinfection during this period is low.
If you develop new cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms within 90 days of your original infection, take a RAT. There is no need to do a PCR.
Critical workers who are Household Contacts
Some people who are Household Contacts and critical workers may be able to still go to work through the Close Contact Exemption Scheme. When you are not at work, you must follow the self-isolation guidance.
Critical workers need to be fully vaccinated, have no symptoms and have a negative RAT before going to work. Your employer will let you know if the scheme applies to you.
Financial support
There is financial support for people who need to stay at home due to COVID-19.
More information
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