The new phase of the Government response commenced at 11.59pm on Thursday 24th February. The key things to note include:

• Only confirmed cases and their household contacts are required to isolate.
• RATs will become the primary form of testing.
• New Zealand is moving to greater self-management for contact notification.

Useful FAQs, Rapid Antigen and Testing Guidance collateral

• FAQs – Omicron Response
• Rapid Antigen Test Guide
• Testing Guidance (I have some symptoms guide and I don’t have any symptoms guide)

Next stage in plan to manage Omicron peak

• The changes to the new phase introduced yesterday will ease some of the pressure on our testing and contact tracing services over the next 3-6 weeks, while helping to ensure critical services and supply chains remain operational and our economy keeps moving.
• Because so any people are vaccinated and Omicron is less severe, New Zealand can have a more devolved response and much greater self-management.
• Care and support will continue to be there for those who need it most, as it always has been.

Omicron response – isolation

• Only confirmed cases and their household contacts are required to isolate.
• All other contacts are now asked to monitor symptoms but do not have to isolate.
• Confirmed cases and household contacts should isolate for 10 days but can now self-release after day 10, provided they have no new or worsening symptoms and meet any testing requirements.
• The critical worker exemption scheme announced this month will enable eligible household contacts to return to work during their isolation periods by returning a daily negative RAT.

Omicron response – testing

• RATs will become the primary form of testing.
• Millions of RATs have been distributed around the country to testing sites, GPs, pharmacies and within workplaces.
• People can now access a RAT from hundreds of locations around the country. Locations with RATs available can be found on the HealthPoint website.
• PCR testing will be reserved for people where it’s clinically indicated they need it. A PCR test will no longer be required to verify a positive RAT result.
• Approved RATs will soon be able to be sold to the public through retail outlets. This will provide choice and access for the general public and small businesses.

Omicron response – contact tracing

• New Zealand is moving to greater self-management for contact notification.
• This will include a new self-investigation tool to support people with COVID-19 to self-notify contacts. Because only household contacts are required to isolate, the tool will assist tracking of high-risk exposure events or locations.
• Contact tracing teams will now focus on identifying and tracing those who have visited high-risk locations, such as hospitals or aged care facilities.
• There will be continued support for those members of our community who are not digitally set up.