Testing, confirmed cases and self-isolation

When to get tested

There are a number of circumstances where our people may need to get tested and self-isolate. Visit NSW Health - Getting tested for COVID-19 to know when to take a rapid antigen test or PCR. Find your nearest testing clinic here.

When getting tested, request your results by SMS and if you are in a frontline role, identify yourself as a frontline Transport employee to help speed things up.

Note: Anyone who tests positive using a rapid antigen test (RAT) is now be required to register their result with Service NSW via the app or website.

Managing and reporting confirmed cases

If you have tested positive to COVID-19:

  1. Follow the current NSW Health guidelines as stated on the NSW Health website. This includes self-isolating at home for 7 days from the date you got tested. Note these guidelines may change at any time so check back when required.
  2. Contact your line manager immediately. If your line manager is unavailable, contact Transport Shared Services on 133 877.
  3. From 12 January, you must register your rapid antigen test result via the Service NSW app or website.

People leaders, if someone in your team is a confirmed case:

  1. Immediately fill out the COVID-19 Positive Cases form (available 24 hours). If the staff member was in an office environment, please include as much detail as possible in relation to floors and locations visited while in the office.
  2. Follow the steps in the NSW Health contact risk assessment for community and workplace settings and complete the NSW Health Workplace Assessment tool. The quick reference guide to reporting and communicating cases is available to guide you.
  3. In the event of a positive case at one of our sites, either the line manager or the Incident Management Team (IMT) Lead should organise enhanced cleaning of the workplace by:
    • Emailing tss.workplaceservices@transport.nsw.gov.au
    • With the email subject: COVID19 – Positive case – Enhanced cleaning request
    • Please include the site address, floors and/or areas to be cleaned and date of exposure incident.
  4. Continue to check in and support your team member/s.
  5. SafeWork notification is required (report via 131050) if COVID-19 was contracted, or likely to have been contracted at the workplace.

Important: All COVID-19 incidents must be reported as soon as possible via one of our applicable safety incident reporting platforms (i.e. SRIMS or INX) in line with existing incident reporting protocols.

When can you return to work after testing positive?

You can return to the workplace after self-isolating for 7 days from the day you tested positive for COVID-19 by PCR if you do not have any COVID-19 symptoms including, a sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath.

NSW Health recommends the same advice applies for those who tested positive by Rapid Antigen Test.

If a worker has recently returned to work after contracting COVID, they cannot be Rapid Antigen Tested (RAT) for 28 Days from the date of release. This is outlined in the below advice from NSW Health. Instead, the worker must produce the NSW Health Medical Clearance letter and have this available at all times whilst attending a work site.

What if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19 for a second time?

People who have recovered from COVID-19 have a low risk of getting it again in the 28 days after isolation as most people develop some immunity (ability to fight the disease).

If you come into contact with someone with COVID-19 within 28 days after isolation, you will generally not need to self-isolate or get a test unless you have symptoms. If you come into contact with someone with COVID-19 more than 28 days after you are released, you will need to self-isolate, test and follow the advice in the Information for people exposed to COVID-19 and Get tested for COVID-19 factsheets.

However, if you have been released from isolation before other positive cases in your household, you will not need to self-isolate or test unless you develop new COVID-19 symptoms.

Self-isolation

Who needs to self-isolate?

  • If you are a confirmed case, you must self-isolate for 7 days from the date you got tested.
  • If you live with someone who has COVID-19 (e.g. you're a household contact), you must self-isolate for 7 days from the last day you were in contact with the COVID-positive person.

Note: If you live with someone who has COVID-19 (e.g. you're a household contact), but you have previously been diagnosed with COVID-19 and it is no more than 28 days since your period of self-isolation ended, you do not need to self-isolate.

Other circumstances where you should self-isolate for 7 days include:

  • If you spent a long time with someone who has COVID-19 (e.g. you stayed overnight at their house or spent the evening indoors at the house)
  • If you interacted closely with someone who has COVID-19 and were not wearing masks (e.g. you drove a long distance together, or looked after children who are now positive.)

You may also be advised by NSW Health to self-isolate. Please refer to NSW Health - Information for people exposed to COVID-19 for more details.

If you manage someone who is required to self-isolate as a result of exposure to COVID-19 either at or outside the workplace, you must fill out the self-isolation reporting form.


When to get tested

There are a number of circumstances where our people may need to get tested and self-isolate. Visit NSW Health - Getting tested for COVID-19 to know when to take a rapid antigen test or PCR. Find your nearest testing clinic here.

When getting tested, request your results by SMS and if you are in a frontline role, identify yourself as a frontline Transport employee to help speed things up.

Note: Anyone who tests positive using a rapid antigen test (RAT) is now be required to register their result with Service NSW via the app or website.

Managing and reporting confirmed cases

If you have tested positive to COVID-19:

  1. Follow the current NSW Health guidelines as stated on the NSW Health website. This includes self-isolating at home for 7 days from the date you got tested. Note these guidelines may change at any time so check back when required.
  2. Contact your line manager immediately. If your line manager is unavailable, contact Transport Shared Services on 133 877.
  3. From 12 January, you must register your rapid antigen test result via the Service NSW app or website.

People leaders, if someone in your team is a confirmed case:

  1. Immediately fill out the COVID-19 Positive Cases form (available 24 hours). If the staff member was in an office environment, please include as much detail as possible in relation to floors and locations visited while in the office.
  2. Follow the steps in the NSW Health contact risk assessment for community and workplace settings and complete the NSW Health Workplace Assessment tool. The quick reference guide to reporting and communicating cases is available to guide you.
  3. In the event of a positive case at one of our sites, either the line manager or the Incident Management Team (IMT) Lead should organise enhanced cleaning of the workplace by:
    • Emailing tss.workplaceservices@transport.nsw.gov.au
    • With the email subject: COVID19 – Positive case – Enhanced cleaning request
    • Please include the site address, floors and/or areas to be cleaned and date of exposure incident.
  4. Continue to check in and support your team member/s.
  5. SafeWork notification is required (report via 131050) if COVID-19 was contracted, or likely to have been contracted at the workplace.

Important: All COVID-19 incidents must be reported as soon as possible via one of our applicable safety incident reporting platforms (i.e. SRIMS or INX) in line with existing incident reporting protocols.

When can you return to work after testing positive?

You can return to the workplace after self-isolating for 7 days from the day you tested positive for COVID-19 by PCR if you do not have any COVID-19 symptoms including, a sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath.

NSW Health recommends the same advice applies for those who tested positive by Rapid Antigen Test.

If a worker has recently returned to work after contracting COVID, they cannot be Rapid Antigen Tested (RAT) for 28 Days from the date of release. This is outlined in the below advice from NSW Health. Instead, the worker must produce the NSW Health Medical Clearance letter and have this available at all times whilst attending a work site.

What if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19 for a second time?

People who have recovered from COVID-19 have a low risk of getting it again in the 28 days after isolation as most people develop some immunity (ability to fight the disease).

If you come into contact with someone with COVID-19 within 28 days after isolation, you will generally not need to self-isolate or get a test unless you have symptoms. If you come into contact with someone with COVID-19 more than 28 days after you are released, you will need to self-isolate, test and follow the advice in the Information for people exposed to COVID-19 and Get tested for COVID-19 factsheets.

However, if you have been released from isolation before other positive cases in your household, you will not need to self-isolate or test unless you develop new COVID-19 symptoms.

Self-isolation

Who needs to self-isolate?

  • If you are a confirmed case, you must self-isolate for 7 days from the date you got tested.
  • If you live with someone who has COVID-19 (e.g. you're a household contact), you must self-isolate for 7 days from the last day you were in contact with the COVID-positive person.

Note: If you live with someone who has COVID-19 (e.g. you're a household contact), but you have previously been diagnosed with COVID-19 and it is no more than 28 days since your period of self-isolation ended, you do not need to self-isolate.

Other circumstances where you should self-isolate for 7 days include:

  • If you spent a long time with someone who has COVID-19 (e.g. you stayed overnight at their house or spent the evening indoors at the house)
  • If you interacted closely with someone who has COVID-19 and were not wearing masks (e.g. you drove a long distance together, or looked after children who are now positive.)

You may also be advised by NSW Health to self-isolate. Please refer to NSW Health - Information for people exposed to COVID-19 for more details.

If you manage someone who is required to self-isolate as a result of exposure to COVID-19 either at or outside the workplace, you must fill out the self-isolation reporting form.


Page last updated: 20 Jan 2022, 10:30 AM