Children in South Australia who contract mild cases of COVID-19 after the state's borders reopen later this month will be treated at home by video conference.
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The $3.7 million service will be run by a team of paediatric nurses, doctors and other staff from the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide, who will monitor infectious children at home provided their condition is not deemed serious enough to warrant hospital treatment.
The government has also provided 32 beds at the Women's and Children's Hospital for those who become more seriously ill.
A separate entrance will be provided to ensure children can be brought in through a sterile corridor.
Women's and Children's Health Network Chief Operating Officer Jane Jennings said while the majority of children who contracted the virus were expected to only be mildly sick, systems had been put in place to care for those needing more support.
"The key for children is being able to manage them safely in the community with the support networks," she said.
"We're very confident that our COVID planning is ready. That we have the capacity to manage the situation for children."
South Australia plans to relax its border rules, particularly the hard closures with NSW, Victoria and the ACT, from November 23.
It's expected the state will have reached or will be close to reaching its target of having 80 per cent of those aged over 16 double vaccinated.
But the government is still waiting on federal advice in relation to providing the vaccine to younger children, with borders likely to open before most if not all of those aged five to 12 have received the jab.
Health Minister Stephen Wade said SA would continue to rely heavily on the national cabinet advice in relation to vaccinations for young people.
"The reality is that children are much less susceptible to COVID-19 than other age groups," he said.
Meanwhile, SA Health has closed an investigation into the case of a 21-year-old woman who tested positive to the virus in the Northern Territory, sparking a small cluster of cases and forcing lockouts or lockdowns in Darwin and Katherine.
It was previously revealed the woman had travelled through SA and Victoria on her way to the Top End.
However, local authorities regarded the risk of infections in SA as small.
"Interviews with the case have resulted in no further information and the matter has been handed over to police," SA Health said in a statement.
South Australia reported no new COVID-19 cases on Monday and has no active infections.
Australian Associated Press
