Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced today that New Zealand will move to Phase Two of Omicron plan at 11.59pm on February 15, when the period of home isolation reduces.
Ardern says the increase in Covid-19 cases is not unexpected and the country can will stay in Phase Two as long as daily cases remain between 1000 and 5000 cases.
Watch here from about 4pm:
The move to Phase Two means the self-isolation period for cases reduces from 14 days to 10 days, and for contacts from 10 days to seven.
The period of self-isolation also applies to household members.
"We've seen that 90 percent of household contacts who were going to test positive do so within those first 10 days," with Omicron, she says, so there are good reasons for the changes.
She advises people to develop a self-isolation plan, including identifying a buddy who can drop off supplies.
Anyone experiencing symptoms that get worse during isolation - particularly breathlessness - is advised to call Healthline immediately.
Phase Two also means the start of the test-to-return-to-work scheme. This would allow critical workers to return to work if they return daily rapid antigen tests.
Positive case at Parliament
A member of the Press Gallery at Parliament has returned a positive rapid antigen test (RAT) result for Covid-19.
"We know that they [RATs] are not always 100 percent accurate," Ardern says.
The individual has taken a PCR test to confirm if they are infected.
This is the first public case of Covid-19 at Parliament.
The prime minister's briefing comes in the wake of the protest which built to an attendance of 3000 over the weekend despite appalling weather and a constant stream of loud music and Covid-19 vaccination ads - played at the insistence of Speaker Trevor Mallard.
Ardern advised the protesters via Morning Report to go home and take their children with them.
The spread of Omicron is also likely to feature at the briefing with cases almost doubling yesterday to a record 810, surpassed today by the announcement of 981 cases.
Prominent epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker also warned today that the real number of cases in Aotearoa could be 10 times the official figure - the real number could be more like 8000.
More to follow...
2 comments
RATs PM
Posted on 14-02-2022 17:02 | By Kancho
Been used for years overseas but Labour banned them and employers or anyone else were not allowed them. Now government nicked employers RATs because employers were ahead of the government in getting them shipped in. So stroll again wait until it's basically to late. Not impressed. We should have all been able to self test buy our own kits. Overseas experience and the lead times all squandered while crippling businesses and therefore employment too. Right from the beginning with late ordering gear and vaccines. Worst inflation in 30 years and worse than a trading partners except America but catching up. Low productivity but spend more nuts
Enough is enough
Posted on 15-02-2022 04:42 | By Numberonekiwi
We need to get on with our lives. For example Denmark have removed all restrictions with 80% double dosed and 60% boosted. We are over 90% double stabbed, These restrictions are affecting our businesses our lives. Once we are a close contact and test positive we have already passed the virus onto others. You complain about the protesters closing local businesses. that is nothing compared to what is about to happen with Isolation rules in the next few weeks.
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