Local cases of COVID-19 have spiked with further increases possible due to school holidays, the Easter long weekend and Bluesfest as family and friends get together over the holiday period.

To 4pm yesterday 21 April, there were 754 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Northern NSW Local Health District, including 137 positive PCR tests and 617 positive rapid antigen tests (RAT).

On Monday the number of cases was pretty much on average at 340 cases.

As you would expect, all local LGA's have been affected:

• Lismore 117
• Ballina 146
• Byron 136
• Clarence Valley 91
• Kyogle 14
• Richmond Valley 64
• Tenterfield* 2
• Tweed 184

The state government's relaxation of the quarantine rules for close contacts at 6pm tonight may also add to the number of new cases if people do not follow the correct guidelines:

• While you do not have to self-isolate, you may only return to work or school after you have notified your workplace or education facility that you are a household contact or a close contact. Your employer or educational facility must approve your return to work/school and may ask you to take additional precautions to reduce the risk of transmission. 
• You must wear a mask when you are in an indoor setting that is not your own home, including workplaces and tertiary education settings. Please follow the guidance for schools and early childhood education settings.
• Before you return to work or school it is strongly recommended that you have a COVID-19 test. This is particularly important if you work in healthcare, aged care, disability care and correctional facilities.
• If you are not employed by a high-risk setting, but sometimes go to them for work (e.g. occasional contracted service provider), you should consider if it is critical before you attend, and gain permission from the facility before entering. This does not include emergency services.

NSW Health urges everyone to take precautions to protect each other:

• don’t go out if you’re unwell
• take your mask with you so you can wear it if you’re somewhere you can’t socially distance, especially indoors, and
• use hand sanitiser or wash your hands regularly.

If you have even mild symptoms or have had known contact with a COVID-19 case, please get tested as soon as you can. Please isolate while awaiting a negative result.

If you test positive using a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), please register your result with Service NSW.

The NSW Government will provide millions of free Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) to vulnerable groups, including people with disability, children and young people in out-of-home care, vulnerable multicultural communities and Aboriginal communities to support early identification and treatment for COVID-19.

Minister for Families and Communities and Minister for Disability Services Natasha Maclaren-Jones said up to 7.9 million RATs will be available to ensure protection for some of the most vulnerable in our community.

“We want to ensure that rapid antigen tests are easily accessible to those who need it most, to keep them safe against COVID-19 through the coming winter period,” Mrs Maclaren-Jones said.

“Given the higher risks for some cohorts, including people with disability if they contract COVID-19, ensuring early diagnosis and treatment is vital.”

The free RATs are now being progressively rolled out at locations across the state.

Those who are eligible will be able to access tests through their disability service provider or directly through statewide neighbourhood centres funded by the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ). 

Vulnerable people who test positive for COVID-19 on a RAT are reminded to confirm the result with a PCR test to enable timely access to anti-viral medications and medical support, should it be required.

The program will initially run for four months, with a review to determine whether it should be extended toward the end of winter.