With thousands of new Covid-19 cases reported each day, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says rules will soon change so fewer people have to isolate.<\/p>\n
Ardern said we would move to phase 3 of the Omicron response shortly. When that happened, fewer people would be required to self-isolate if they came into contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19, and people would be able to self-report infections rather than relying on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) lab testing.<\/p>\n
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield will be announcing the next steps in the response to the Omicron outbreak at midday on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Alongside the Covid-19 traffic light system, the Government has been operating a three-phase approach to Omicron. As more people catch Covid-19, stretching the public health system and taking people out of the workforce, the country has been moving from phase 1, stamp it out, to phase 3.<\/p>\n
READ MORE:* Covid-19: 1160 new community cases, 56 in hospital with virus* Covid-19 NZ: What 'phase 2' of Omicron response will mean for isolation times, testing* The end of MIQ: How self-isolation for travellers will work <\/p>\n
Last week, New Zealand moved to phase 2. The change meant people who had caught Covid-19 no longer needed to isolate for 14 days and could instead leave self-isolation after 10 days.<\/p>\n
For close contacts, who had to isolate for 10 days at phase 1, they can leave self-isolation after seven days.<\/p>\n
Phase 2 also started the use of rapid antigen tests (RATs) for certain workplaces, and lately to ease the demand for PCR testing.<\/p>\n
Workplaces deemed critical to the supply chain or public good were able to apply to have their workers return to work after producing a negative Rat result, rather than seven days in isolation.<\/p>\n
Ricky Wilson\/Stuff<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says phase 3 of the Omicron response will begin soon.<\/p>\n
At phase 3, the length of isolation remains the same but the definitions of who is a close contact changes.<\/p>\n
Only household contacts, or household-like contacts, will need to isolate for seven days.<\/p>\n
People with Covid-19 will still need to isolate for 10 days.<\/p>\n
The biggest change at phase 3 will be the change to contact tracing and testing regimes.<\/p>\n
Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall said that at phase 3, those with Covid-19 should be able to personally notify their close contacts.<\/p>\n
She said there would also be greater reliance on self-service testing, rapid antigen testing and technology to identify high risk contacts and to self-report infections.<\/p>\n
The focus at phase 3 was self-management of Covid-19, with Government support for those identified as high risk, in need of medical care, or unable to use technology.<\/p>\n
There will be continued support for those members of our community who are not digitally enabled, she said.<\/p>\n
When she announced the Governments three-phase Omicron response, Verrall said the final stage would begin when cases are in the thousands.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Health reported 3297 new community cases in its daily update on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Ardern said to expect a move to phase 3 fairly shortly.<\/p>\n
It means we have narrowed down our definition of who a contact is, and you will see more frequently the use of rapid antigen testing.<\/p>\n
Covid-19 testing centres and labs also reported being overwhelmed this week. From Wednesday, Aucklands testing centres would start giving RATs to anyone seeking a Covid-19 test in a bid to take pressure off the labs processing PCR tests.<\/p>\n
Bloomfield said there would be 22.5 million RATs delivered to New Zealand this month.<\/p>\n
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Phase 3 of the Omicron response will arrive 'shortly', here is what that means - Stuff.co.nz<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With thousands of new Covid-19 cases reported each day, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says rules will soon change so fewer people have to isolate. Ardern said we would move to phase 3 of the Omicron response shortly. When that happened, fewer people would be required to self-isolate if they came into contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19, and people would be able to self-report infections rather than relying on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) lab testing Continue reading