Omicron travel plans: Is it safe to fly at Red and what to plan for while away

Government in hot water with Waitangi Tribunal, festival-goers test positive for Covid and the Brian Tamaki saga continue in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald

With a long weekend ahead many of us have holidays and flights already booked for the tail end of summer.

However the emergence of Omicron in the community was something most of us did not factor into our holidays.

As New Zealand moved to a countrywide 'Red level' at midnight on Monday, we find ourselves more conflicted about our travel plans than Joe Strummer.

"Should we stay, or should we go?"

For the most part, air travel carries on as normal. Red is - in theory - somewhere we've been before. Many accommodation and travel providers are sticking to the plans drawn up last year.

Although airline boss Greg Foran has predicted that travellers "can expect to see some impact to our operation", it will be business as usual. Air New Zealand was quick to point out that travel can continue under Red settings and regional borders remain open.

Unlike previous cases of Covid in the community, the Cook Islands has said it will be keeping its borders open to vaccinated New Zealand travellers.

But we are stuck at the lights wondering if "Red" will still mean the same thing next week as this.

With many travel and accommodation providers operating under the caveat "guidance can change with little notice," what can we do to safeguard our travel plans and the public health of the places we visit?

SHOULD YOU TRAVEL?

Professor Michael Plank, who has been modelling the different variants of Covid-19 for the Government response, says travel during Omicron will be a different proposal.

"It is going to come down more to individual choice than it has in the past," he says.

The Government guidelines continue to be that you can travel anywhere in New Zealand at any traffic light setting and for any reason.

"The rules around travel are not likely to be what we've seen in the past where travel between regions are prohibited," says Plank.

The types of holiday people take might change. While there will be fewer events and gatherings under Red, the perceived risk of a destination or certain activity may mean travel self-regulates.

Jetting off to the other end of New Zealand for a music festival is likely to be seen as higher risk and less appealing than a road trip to the beach.

"As we saw in Australia, there wasn't an official lockdown, and the official rules were not particularly strict but people chose to stay home during that time - as a matter of individual choice."

Some people may choose not to travel to a certain area for example due to local Covid-19 numbers.

"If we see large numbers of cases, that will feed into people's perception of risk," he says.

With the freedom to travel, New Zealanders are likely to keep on moving round the country.

However, Plank expects travellers will be making "contingency plans," should there be local travel restrictions or if they contract Covid.

"Staying a bit more locally, somewhere you can travel by car is definitely seen as the safer option."

HOW TO GET THERE

Since the first emergence of Covid-19 there has been a debate as to the risk of air travel.
Omicron has changed this calculation.

International Air Transport Association IATA was quick to issue a statement at the end of last year saying "the aircraft cabin remains a very low risk environment for contracting Covid-19 even though omicron appears to be more transmissible".

However low that risk is, shared air transport is never going to be less than private transport. Or, say, taking a bike or the family car.

Air travel does carry a risk, says Plank: "you've got people in a confined space sharing the same air."

"During this Omicron outbreak it looks like the virus has spread as the result of air travel," he says.

Six Air New Zealand flights and Wellington Domestic Airport were added as locations of interest this weekend.

On Sunday the airline said that crew had been stood down as close contacts, and were isolating. Measures - including vaccine requirements, suspension of catering on planes and keeping masks fixed throughout flights - had been brought forward as part of the airline's reaction to omicron.

The type of face covering is also being reviewed, as announced by Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins.

Last week Brisbane-based data scientist Jeremy Howard - who authored the world's largest study into the efficacy of surgical masks - told the ABC that respiratory N95 masks would be needed to properly protect against Omicron.

"Ditch your cloth masks and also ditch your surgical masks," he said. "Omicron is aerosolised, so it's such tiny particles that float in the air" meaning it might evade homemade cloth face coverings.

Travel will be allowed to continue but with greater onus on us to make the right decisions.

There are measures that can taken to travel safely with respect to our own health and others.

"The actions that we take now, in terms of boosters and in terms of masks, will influence the time it takes to get to those other levels," said Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrell this afternoon.

At yesterday afternoon's 2pm press conference, the Government said it was expecting cases to rise but it will be down to the decisions taken as to how quickly and wildly it is spread.

Plan ahead, know the risks

The Government's Covid-19 travel advice is to make contingency plans should you or one of your party have to self-isolate.

In such a case, you are allowed to return home to isolate using private transport, providing you or a travel companion can drive.

Travellers who have to take public transport or break a journey overnight will have to isolate where they are. If you've flown to a location or taken a ferry, it is advised to budget for an extended stay.

If you experience Covid-19 symptoms while away get tested immediately and isolate in your accommodation until you receive a negative result.

For more information on safe travel see covid19.govt.nz