Covid 19 Omicron: Grounds for compassionate MIQ exemptions broadened

MIQ exemption rules have been loosened. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

More people will be released from MIQ early on compassionate grounds after a late change to the public health risk assessment tool used to assess compassionate exemptions.

Officials from MBIE, the ministry responsible for MIQ told a select committee on Thursday that this will mean more people leaving MIQ earlier, and more applications for leave letting people travel between islands and applications featuring children being approved.

MBIE uses a Ministry of Health risk assessment tool, which helps officials assess the risk posed by people leaving MIQ early.

Prior to the Omicron outbreak, with Covid largely eliminated in New Zealand, this risk was relatively high.

However, with thousands of Omicron cases being reported in the community each week, the additional risk posed by people leaving MIQ early is proportionally much lower.

Under questions from National's Covid-19 response spokesman Chris Bishop, officials confirmed that a new tool had been signed off by director general of health Ashley Bloomfield on Tuesday night, before coming into force on Wednesday morning.

Deputy Secretary Managed Isolation and Quarantine Chris Bunny said that the risk assessment tool had been changing through the pandemic.

Prior to the new tool coming into force on Wednesday, exemptions were managed using a tool that came into force on December 22, 2021.

He said the new tool "reflects the circumstances that we're in leading up to the reconnecting New Zealand changes".

Bunny said the changes would "relax a few things".

"Under the old tool, we were not able to release anyone prior to the day three test - that's been brought forward and they can now be considered for release from day 0, 1.

"They can take public transport to get to where they need to get to. We used to have instances where if you were in the North Island and needed to go to the South Island it was pretty much dismissed out of hand from the public health risk assessment tool," Bunny said.

Applications featuring young, unvaccinated children will also be seen more favourably.

Bunny said often there would be parties refused entry to New Zealand because they had young children who, because of their age, could not be vaccinated.

Now, the tool disregards vaccination status of children under 13.

Bunny said he did not see "massive, massive volumes" of exemptions being granted, mainly because many people overseas were waiting for wider border reopening later this year.

MBIE, about a "week and a half ago", began working with Health officials on developing a new tool to reflect the new environment.

"The fact that we have Omicron in the community is quite different than when the only Omicron in the community was in an MIQ facility - that was the key driver".