Good morning, Phase 2 came into play at 11.59 pm last night. Below is the information required to help you navigate your way through this, including information just released on the process for Close Contact Exemption workers and how to obtain RAT tests for those workers. Apologies for the delay in getting this information out but the link to RAT kit order form was not released until 11 pm last night.
Key Highlights of Phase 2:
Business continues to operate as usual - there is no change to how you work, what work you can do and who you can supply.
Isolation for Covid positive cases will reduce to 10 days. No further testing undertaken.
Isolation for Close Contacts will reduce to 7 days, with a test at day 5.
Isolation for Household Members will reduce to 10 days with tests at Day 3 and Day 8. This isolation will run concurrently with the Covid positive case. This is a change to the previous requirement for the isolation period to be added on the end..
If you register on the Critical Services Register your staff that are named as Close Contacts (and they are vaccinated and asymptomatic) will be able to access Rapid Antigen Tests and on the provision of a negative test each day they will be able to continue to come to work during their isolation period.
Critical Workers are only cleared to go to work - they cannot go anywhere else.
Communications to positive cases and close contacts will be via text/email wherever possible and case investigation will be digital.
Vulnerable people will be identified and managed, others will be self-service model.
Close Contact Exemption Scheme
This scheme only applies to workers that are named as Close Contacts and who are vaccinated and have no Covid-19 symptoms. They must be critical to ensuring your busines can operate, and unable to work from home.
Process for Exempt Workers (download the full guide here)
(Note this process is for smaller/medium sized businesses. For businesses that may have a large number of contacts at a site it will be easier for the DHB and Public Health Unit to work with the employer directly and supply a bulk quantity of RATs to cover all workers or the business may provide their own tests.)
If a worker becomes aware they are a Close Contact by self identification they will need to either click on the link for that location in the Locations of Interest webpage or call Healthline on 0800 3585453. After being confirmed as a Close Contact they will receive a text message from Healthline confirming this.
If they receive a Covid Tracer Location Alert/Bluetooth Alert this will act as confirmation they are a Close Contact and they will not need to notify Healthline or follow the link.
They must notify their employer who will decide if they eligible to participate - critical, vaccinated and asymptomatic.
They will need to access the Rapid Antigen Test Order Form on the Ministry of Health website and complete this to get an order number which is required to pick up the tests.
They will need to visit a Collection Site to pickup the pack of 10 RAT kits. You can find where they are located by clicking here.
At the collection point they will need to provide the following:
Text message confirming they are a Close Contact
Letter from Critical Services Register
Critical Worker Authorisation Letter
RAT kit order number
Personal ID (e.g. driver's licence)
Vaccine Pass
The tests are taken home and one is completed before each shift/work day. The results need to be recorded in MyCovidRecord and provided to the employer. If they can't access MyCovidRecord they will need to phone the results through to 0800 222478.
Note that used RAT kits are considered medical waste and should be sealed in a ziplock bag before being disposed of if being done individually, or where bulk testing is taking place the business should have a biohazard bin.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out to the PrintNZ team.
