As the number of cases as part of Canberra's Covid outbreak increases, so, too is the number of exposure sites across the capital.
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As of Tuesday, there are 7500 people who have self-identified to ACT Health as being a contact of a positive Covid case, with more than 80 exposure venues identified. That number is expected to grow to more than 100 soon.
The number of contacts has prompted large surges of demand for testing at clinics across Canberra, with waiting times of up to nine hours or more in some instances.
Record testing levels have been undertaken, with more than 7300 in a single day, or almost 2 per cent of the ACT population.
If you do get notified that you are a contact of a Covid-positive case, there are three categories of contacts: close, casual and secondary.
Here's what you need to do if you are any type of those contacts.
Close contact
A close contact is someone who has the highest risk of infection after coming into contact with someone who is Covid positive.
ACT Health said the high risk comes from a person spending a long time with a Covid-positive case, or being in a confined space with them.
If you have visited a close contact location on any of the times specified, you need to complete an ACT contact declaration form and immediately spend 14 days in quarantine.
You will then need to get tested, as advised by ACT Health at one of the testing venues.
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Close contacts are being prioritised in the ACT. On Tuesday, it was announced that there were 7500 close contacts who had completed the contact declaration form.
If you are a close contact and receive a negative test, you will still need to quarantine for the full 14-day period.
ACT Health has said the last day of potential exposure to Covid counts as day zero.
Close contacts will also need to get tested on day 12 or day 13 of their quarantine period.
You may also need to get more tests done, depending on if you are quarantining with others or where you are quarantining at.
If you are a close contact and you live with other people, you should separate from them as soon as possible.
ACT Health has recommended that you sleep in a separate bedroom and use a separate bathroom if you can.
You must not spend time in the same room as other people in your house.
Other people living in your house where you are quarantining will be listed as secondary contacts, and must also quarantine.
Casual contact
Casual contacts are the next tier down for exposure risks.
Contact with a Covid-positive case may have taken place while outside or for only a short period in a large venue.
Those who have been deemed to have been a casual contact must complete the contact declaration form and immediately quarantine.
If you were at a casual contact location less than four day ago, you will need to get two tests.
In those instances, you will need to get a test as soon as you find out you were a casual contact, and then another one five days after you were at the casual contact location.
You need to remain in quarantine until you get a negative test from the second test.
However, if you were at a casual contact venue four or more days from when you were notified, you will only need to get one test.
You will need to get tested as soon as possible and remain in quarantine until a negative test is received.
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Casual contacts who have left quarantine are urged to get tested again if any symptoms are experienced, no matter how mild.
ACT Health said anyone who was a casual contact should remain vigilant for symptoms for 14 days following the exposure.
Health authorities have said due to the large numbers of close contacts that have been identified, casual contacts should delay, if possible, getting their first test in order for testing of close contacts to be carried out.
Those who are casual contacts are also urged to separate from other members of the household who are not quarantining.
However, health authorities have said that if you can't maintain appropriate separation, like separate bedrooms or bathrooms, then the people you live with do not need to quarantine.
Secondary contact
Secondary contacts is the last tier of contact types, and involve those who have been near a close contact since the contact was exposed to Covid.
This can include anyone who lives in the same house as a close contact, anyone who has visited the home of a close contact or has been visited by the contact, as well as anyone who has shared a confined space, such as as car with a friend, who is a close contact.
Health officials have said secondary contacts may also include other people with a high-exposure risk or a high risk of transmission in the community.
While you are not required to get a Covid test if you have no symptoms, you should get a test as soon as any symptoms develop, no matter how mild.
If you are the secondary contact of someone in your house who is a close contact, you will need to quarantine until both yourself and the close contact can be released from quarantine.
Measures should be taken to remain completely separated from members of the same household at all times, including using separate bathrooms and bedrooms, and to not share household items.
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