The isolation period for Covid-19 cases and their household contacts is reducing to one week, down from 10 days, from this Friday.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins is giving today's briefing about the latest Covid-19 numbers and the government's response to the pandemic.
Hipkins said household contacts will have to return two negative tests before leaving isolation, but would not need to isolate if they had been in case within the past 90 days - an increase from the current 28-day rule.
Hipkins announced the moves at the daily 1pm briefing today, saying high case numbers and contacts in isolation was having a "wider impact on many parts of our lives".
He urged people who were isolating to stay home even after the seven-day period until 24 hours after symptoms cleared up.
Household contacts would need to have a Rapid Antigen Test on day three and seven of their isolation. They should have a Rapid Antigen Test if they become symptomatic, and if the result is positive, they are required to isolate for seven days from that point.
The changes would take effect from 11.59pm on Friday, and followed similar moves overseas, Hipkins said.
"And increasing evidence that people are most likely to transmit the virus earlier in their infectious period. This evidence also shows that the risk of reinfection within the first three months after someone has Omicron is very low."
Hipkins also said the Novavax vaccine would be available for bookings online or by phone tomorrow, for appointments next week, with a shipment of 250,000 having arrived in New Zealand.
"Novavax will be available for people aged over 18. It requires two doses, with a three week gap. It has not been approved as a booster dose," he said.
"While the Pfizer vaccine remains the preferred Covid-19 vaccine in New Zealand, Novavax is now available for those people who would prefer, or require, an alternative,"
Yesterday Hipkins said that the health system was still fit for purpose with Omicron yet to peak.
He said the increasing numbers of people in hospital were within the expected range and they had been working with Auckland's hospitals which were "under an enormous amount of pressure".
Yesterday there were 23,894 new cases of Covid-19 and 756 people in hospital, 16 of them were in ICU.