Covid-19 Omicron outbreak: What does Phase 3 mean for you?

New Zealand will move to phase 3 of the Omicron response at midnight tonight. There are more than 6000 new Covid cases today, with more than 200 people in hospital, and numbers are forecast to rise sharply in coming weeks.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says the move means most people will manage their infection at home, allowing the health system and supply chains to cope. So what does phase 3 mean for you?

Testing

Rapid Antigen Tests, or RATS, will become the main form of testing. There will be thousands of places around the country where you can get a RAT test and millions have been distributed to testing sites, GPs, pharmacies and workplaces.

The HealthPoint website lists locations where RATS are available and more will be added in coming days. Approved RATS will also soon be sold directly to the public, at a cost of around $8-10.

If you get a positive RAT test you won't need to verify it with a PCR test. PCR testing will be kept for people who are "clinically indicated" to need it - which will ease pressure on laboratories. Labs are currently taking several days to return PCR results whereas a RAT test can take just 15 minutes.

Currently in Auckland people can take home a RAT from a community testing centre, or do a supervised RAT at a GP or urgent care clinic. Either way RATS are free.

You should only get tested if you are a household contact or if you have symptoms, or if you are told to by a health official, according to the government Covid-19 website.

Household contacts who develop symptoms are considered probable cases and don't need to get a test.

Isolation

At phase 3 only confirmed cases and household contacts have to isolate. If you live with someone who tests positive, you must isolate for 10 days and get tested on day 3 and day 10. If you develop symptoms, get a test sooner.

When a household contact tests positive they must isolate for 10 days.

Critical workers who are household contacts can still work during their isolation period as long as they return a negative RAT test each day. Hipkins said that "should it become necessary we may consider supporting probable or confirmed cases to return to work".

Other close contacts should still monitor for symptoms for 10 days but only need to isolate if they have symptoms.

From tomorrow the rules will also apply to close contacts (other than household contacts) who are currently isolating - they will be able to leave home, unless they have symptoms.

Contact tracing

Positive cases will have to notify their contacts themselves using a new tool. Health officials will focus on high-risk contacts and locations like hospitals or aged care homes.

Locations of interest will no longer be published but people should still scan in using the Covid Tracer app - having a digital diary will help you work out who your contacts are.

Contact tracers will help those who do not have good access to technology.

Speaking this morning about the move to phase 3, Hipkins said the changes would ease pressure on testing and contact tracing services over the next 3-6 weeks.

"There's no doubt the next few weeks are going to be tough, but New Zealand is better-positioned than most countries to respond to Omicron. What we're seeing is what we expected. We just need to stick to our plan as we manage higher numbers of cases in coming weeks before we reach our peak."

New Zealand was one of the world's most vaccinated countries so Omicron would be mild or moderate for most people.

"That should make the next period less of a worry for the vast majority of people. But we are still strongly encouraging people to get boosted. You are much less likely to need hospital care and new evidence shows it helps lower the likelihood of getting infected and transmitting Covid-19 to others. So please, for those who aren't yet boosted, it's now urgent."

Hipkins also advised people to make an isolation plan or stay-at-home kit with friends and family to help prepare.