WA to move to 'very high caseload' setting

Western Australia will move to a "very high caseload" setting from Thursday with school students and critical workers who are close contacts able to continue to work or go to school through their isolation period.

The new rules mean critical workers who are close contacts of a COVID case can still attend work if they are asymptomatic, return a negative daily rapid antigen test, wear a surgical mask when at work and when not working they must self-isolate.

Critical workers include those who work in transport, petrol stations, retail including supermarkets, food supply, defence, aged care, mining, construction, corrective services, police, education and healthcare.

"Isolation requirements are starting to become a burden for some critical industries, and this is likely to increase as caseloads grow," Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said.

The new settings also apply to students and children at daycare.

Children who are close contacts of a COVID positive case at their school or daycare but are asymptomatic can continue to attend.

“This will apply to all students who have been identified as a close contact, except those who have a household member who has tested positive to COVID-19,” Education Minister Sue Ellery said.

Children must self-isolate at all other times until the seven days has passed.

Ms Ellery said 1400 school staff and more than 17,000 students have isolated so far this year due to being COVID positive or a close contact.

WA recorded a large jump in COVID cases overnight with 3,594 new infections detected.

The total number of people in hospital with COVID stands at 67.

None are in intensive care.