What will second phase of public health response to Omicron look like?
Following another consecutive day of record Covid-19 numbers in the community, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has today activated the second stage Public Health Response to Omicron.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced today that New Zealand will move to Phase Two of Omicron plan at 11.59pm on 15 February, when the period of home isolation reduces.
This second stage is of New Zealand's three-stage plan that Associate Minister for Health Dr Ayesha Verrall had earlier announced on January 26 to to slow down and limit the spread of Omicron-outbreak,
The second stage would be a "transition" phase where health officials would identify cases with a greater risk of severe illness from the Omicron variant.
Today, the Ministry of Health has reported a record 981 cases in the community with cases spread across DHBs all around the country after 800 plus cases yesterday.
"Once again, the further increase in new cases today is another reminder that, as expected, the highly transmissible Omicron variant is now spreading in our communities as we have seen in other countries," the Ministry of Health said.
Phase Two
In Phase Two, the objective will be to slow the spread and protect our vulnerable communities.
The system will be adjusted to focus much more on identifying those who are at greater risk of severe illness from Omicron – which will be a smaller percentage of cases.
Self-Isolation Period to be reduced to 10 days
One of the major changes in Phase Two will be the reduction of the isolation period for cases to 10 days and contacts to 7 days.
Household contacts will be actively managed by contact tracing services, with close contacts requiring a PCR test on day five.
More targeted approach in providing health care
The government is expecting a rapid escalation in case numbers and the resulting pressure on the health-system and therefore will now require to shift from identifying all infected individuals to being more targeted to those most at risk and those needed to keep the country going.
More use of Digital Technology in Phase 2
Digital technology will be used more in this phase.
Cases will be notified via text message and be directed to an online self-investigation tool which will focus on high risk exposures.
Information will be provided via email and phone based interviews will still take place where it’s required. Other forms of support will be available to those who need it.
Testing Requirements will be changed
There will be change in the current testing requirements for critical workers who are close contacts of cases.
The prime focus of testing and tracing will be protecting this workforce and those most vulnerable to becoming severely unwell.
More Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) in the community
Phase Two is where we will see more widespread use of the test to return to work policy where asymptomatic contacts in critical workforces can return a negative rapid antigen test in order to go to work.
"We will continue to manage testing of symptomatic people and close contacts with PCR testing but we will be enabling ‘test to return’ for asymptomatic critical workers who are close contacts of cases using Rapid Antigen Tests. These are people like our healthcare workers and those working in food supply and infrastructure who are key to our response to Covid-19 and also in ensuring New Zealanders can continue to access the services they need," Minister said.
Rapid antigen tests (RATs) will be integrated into our testing system at this phase and will work alongside PCR tests.
They will be useful when the laboratories cannot provide PCR results within a useful time frame because of large volumes or because of transport delays.
Following another consecutive day of record Covid-19 numbers in the community, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has today activated the second stage Public Health Response to Omicron.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced today that New Zealand will move to Phase Two of Omicron plan at 11.59pm...
Following another consecutive day of record Covid-19 numbers in the community, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has today activated the second stage Public Health Response to Omicron.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced today that New Zealand will move to Phase Two of Omicron plan at 11.59pm on 15 February, when the period of home isolation reduces.
This second stage is of New Zealand's three-stage plan that Associate Minister for Health Dr Ayesha Verrall had earlier announced on January 26 to to slow down and limit the spread of Omicron-outbreak,
The second stage would be a "transition" phase where health officials would identify cases with a greater risk of severe illness from the Omicron variant.
Today, the Ministry of Health has reported a record 981 cases in the community with cases spread across DHBs all around the country after 800 plus cases yesterday.
"Once again, the further increase in new cases today is another reminder that, as expected, the highly transmissible Omicron variant is now spreading in our communities as we have seen in other countries," the Ministry of Health said.
Phase Two
In Phase Two, the objective will be to slow the spread and protect our vulnerable communities.
The system will be adjusted to focus much more on identifying those who are at greater risk of severe illness from Omicron – which will be a smaller percentage of cases.
Self-Isolation Period to be reduced to 10 days
One of the major changes in Phase Two will be the reduction of the isolation period for cases to 10 days and contacts to 7 days.
Household contacts will be actively managed by contact tracing services, with close contacts requiring a PCR test on day five.
More targeted approach in providing health care
The government is expecting a rapid escalation in case numbers and the resulting pressure on the health-system and therefore will now require to shift from identifying all infected individuals to being more targeted to those most at risk and those needed to keep the country going.
More use of Digital Technology in Phase 2
Digital technology will be used more in this phase.
Cases will be notified via text message and be directed to an online self-investigation tool which will focus on high risk exposures.
Information will be provided via email and phone based interviews will still take place where it’s required. Other forms of support will be available to those who need it.
Testing Requirements will be changed
There will be change in the current testing requirements for critical workers who are close contacts of cases.
The prime focus of testing and tracing will be protecting this workforce and those most vulnerable to becoming severely unwell.
More Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) in the community
Phase Two is where we will see more widespread use of the test to return to work policy where asymptomatic contacts in critical workforces can return a negative rapid antigen test in order to go to work.
"We will continue to manage testing of symptomatic people and close contacts with PCR testing but we will be enabling ‘test to return’ for asymptomatic critical workers who are close contacts of cases using Rapid Antigen Tests. These are people like our healthcare workers and those working in food supply and infrastructure who are key to our response to Covid-19 and also in ensuring New Zealanders can continue to access the services they need," Minister said.
Rapid antigen tests (RATs) will be integrated into our testing system at this phase and will work alongside PCR tests.
They will be useful when the laboratories cannot provide PCR results within a useful time frame because of large volumes or because of transport delays.
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