The opposition has been forced to redraw its campaign plans with Mr Albanese forced into seven days of isolation after testing positive to the virus on Thursday.

He is understood to be experiencing symptoms, but he is in good spirits and working in his inner-west Sydney home.

"He's doing OK. He's got a bit of a croaky throat, as you'd expect. But he's doing pretty well," Labor's campaign spokesman Jason Clare told reporters in Sydney.

"He's got lots of messages, lots of well wishes overnight and through the morning. As you know, he tested positive to a PCR test yesterday afternoon, as part of a regular PCR test ahead of flying to WA."

The frontbench colleagues are to step up to share the load in Mr Albanese's absence over the coming week. Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong will campaign in Perth to cover the events the leader was expected to attend.

Asked if Labor would appoint a "de facto opposition leader", perhaps deputy Labor leader Richard Marles, Mr Clare was clear, "The short answer is no. You're going to see a lot of our team."

He downplayed the impact on the leader and swiped away a suggestions Mr Albanese may have picked the virus up at his appearance at Bluesfest, where it was known there were a "lot of anti-vaxxers in there and no masks."

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Mr Albanese could still hold media events via Zoom, but Mr Clare said the leader's involvement would depend on how he was feeling.

"At a time when you have 40- or 50,000 people getting COVID every day, it's almost inevitable you're going to get COVID," he said.

"I caught it the other day. I missed out on the last week of Parliament because I had COVID. It's going to happen. You need to prepare for it. And that is what we have done."

Mr Clare said Mr Albanese's absence was an opportunity to highlight the strength of Labor's frontbench. He said it would also focus more attention on Scott Morrison, which he argued was a positive for Labor.

"The more they see of Scott Morrison the more they'll realise that his government has run out of puff," he said.

"How does the campaign change? We live in the age of the iPad and more. It really depends on Albo's health," he said.

"When I got COVID, I felt pretty good for the first couple of days, then I felt pretty awful for the next couple of days, I couldn't speak for a couple of days. Burkey got COVID recently and he lost his voice for a bunch of days as well. Health comes first. I told him, 'Rest up, mate'.

"This is a long campaign, remember. The Prime Minister deliberately set this as a long campaign, six weeks. Albo is out for one of those weeks. He'll be back at the halfway mark. He'll be back when the second half starts in a week's time."