Omicron phase 3: what you need to know about testing, contact tracing and isolation

New Zealand is in ‘phase 3’ of the Omicron outbreak as of Friday. This means there are fewer restrictions, but also a greater risk of catching Covid-19.

The new rules remove the requirement for most contacts of a confirmed Covid-19 case to self-isolate. They also open the door to the use of rapid antigen tests (RATs), rather than relying on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) laboratory tests.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced the change on Thursday, as officials expected Covid-19 cases to continue to rise. As of Thursday, more than 6,000 cases were reported, setting a new pandemic record so far.

He said RATs would become the “main form of testing”, a big change from reliance on PCR lab tests.

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In other phases of the pandemic, health officials worked with most Covid cases and attempted to reach contacts who might have been close to a positive case. Everything changes in phase 3.

Hipkins said the new stage of the pandemic would be about “self-management,” and health workers and contact tracers would focus only on the highest-risk cases.

Here’s what you need to know about Phase 3 of the Omicron outbreak:

Who needs to self-isolate?

Unlike all other stages of the pandemic, in Stage 3 only household contacts or sick people should self-isolate.

Initial Phase 3 descriptions said “home-type” contacts should also self-isolate. However, Hipkins said the government has decided that only household contacts should self-isolate.

“We don’t want there to be any confusion about who should self-isolate,” he said.

“If you are a household contact… you need to self-isolate. If you have a friend who has Covid-19, you can judge whether you think you would be at risk.”

What about other contacts?

If your work colleague tests positive for Covid-19, or if a friend does, or if you find out that someone who takes the bus with you had Covid-19, you officially do not need to self-isolate . Of course you can choose to.

However, a contact of a Covid-19 case should monitor for symptoms of Covid-19 and get tested if they develop any.

Simply because there were fewer official contact restrictions, Hipkins said people shouldn’t live normal lives if they knew they were at high risk of having caught Covid-19.

“Now is not the time to go visit older relatives,” he said.

Why restrictions are easing, as the number of cases increases

In August, New Zealand moved to a level 4 lockdown after a single case of Delta was discovered in Auckland. This epidemic has exploded, but far from the numbers seen during the ongoing Omicron epidemic – thousands of confirmed cases every day.

As Delta’s cases declined, the country gradually reopened and restrictions were eased.

For Omicron, the three-phase approach to its management ran alongside the Covid-19 protection framework (aka the traffic light system). The phases were based on keeping the supply chain functioning and using testing and contact tracing resources efficiently.

With more than 5,000 cases per day, manual contact tracing was no longer possible.

Hipkins explained that Phase 3 would better ensure that supply chains and essential services are functioning.

The traffic light system, unlike the alert levels, meant most things had to stay open. However, schools and hospitality venues had already said close contacts having to self-isolate meant they were unable to open, effectively in an unofficial lockdown.

“Because so many New Zealanders are now vaccinated. And because Omicron has a less severe reaction in many people, we can have a more decentralized response, with much more emphasis on self-management, allowing our teams to focus more on vulnerable people,” said said Hipkins.

When and how to get tested

With long queues at Covid-19 testing centers across the country, the health ministry was asking that only people with symptoms or household contacts get tested.

Test the changes in phase 3.

The focus would be more on rapid antigen tests (RATs), which could return a result within 10 minutes. The RATs were only 80% efficient, giving less accuracy than the PCR assays we relied on in phases 1 and 2.

These PCR tests would continue to be used, but would be rationed as they took longer to return a result and the labs receiving the swabs had limited capacity. PCR tests would be used for the high-risk population.

Chief Health Officer Dr Ashley Bloomfield said PCR tests would be used for people who are sick, hospitalized, immunocompromised, pregnant or with other conditions.

But soon you will be able to buy your own RAT

The government has faced repeated pressure from the opposition to introduce RATs in supermarkets and shops, as is happening in many other countries.

Hipkins said he expects companies to start selling RATs in March.

Then you will have to declare your result yourself – and inform your household if you are sick

As the government relied more on self-management of Covid-19, it was asking the public to self-report their RAT results.

To do this, go to MyCovidRecord.Health.NZ.

In phase 3, it was also expected that people with Covid-19 would be able to tell their own household contacts that they would need to self-isolate.

Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall said contact tracing staff would still be there for people who had difficulty using technology and to identify ‘high-risk contacts’ – such as people in homes of retirement.

What if you are currently in isolation?

Until Friday, anyone considered a close contact had to self-isolate. If you are currently in isolation as a close contact, the Department of Health has confirmed you can leave on Friday.