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​​​COVID-19 updates

Always use The Ministry of Health website as the source of correct and up to date information

COVID-19 Care in the Community and Response update 22/07/2022

27/7/2022

 
  • COVID-19 Care in the Community 
    • The oral COVID-19 therapeutics nirmatrelvir with ritonavir (Paxlovid™) and molnupiravir (Lagevrio®) are being reclassified from prescription-only medicines to restricted medicines, enabling pharmacists to supply to those who meet Pharmac’s criteria. It is anticipated this change will come into effect from 28 July 2022. Te Whatu Ora will send out invitations to participating pharmacists shortly to join online training on Tuesday 26 July at 7.30pm-9.30pm about these changes.  
    • From today, 18 July 2022, access to COVID-19 therapeutics has been widened. It now includes all people aged 75 years and over, and those who have been admitted previously to an intensive care unit as a direct result of COVID-19. The factors Māori and Pacific Peoples are required to have to access these antiviral treatments have also been reduced. Full access criteria can be found here. 
    • Last week, the Government announced that people at a higher risk of acute respiratory illness from COVID-19 who meet Pharmac’s therapeutics criteria are now able to get a prescription from their doctor for COVID-19 medicines before they get COVID-19. This means the prescription is ready to use if they become unwell. Advance supply is not available via a pharmacy. 

  • COVID-19 Response 
    • Anyone in Aotearoa New Zealand can get free rapid antigen tests (RATs) after the Government significantly expanded eligibility last week with people no longer required to have COVID-19 symptoms or live with a case. Free RATs can be ordered through requestrats.covid19.health.nz and picked up from community collection sites. People can also collect free masks from community collection sites around the motu – information on the nearest site to collect free RATs and masks is on Healthpoint. 

COVID-19 Update 15/07/2022

17/7/2022

 
Please see attached file for latest information
covid-19_update_15.07.2022.docx
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clinical_reinfection_guidance_v2_and_operational_guidance_v2_june_2022.pdf
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primary_care_quick_reference_guide_june_2022.pdf
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COVID-19 - Advice for people who are unable to wear a face mask

29/3/2022

 
We know face masks are unsuitable for some people due to a disability or health condition. It is not always obvious why wearing a face covering is unsuitable for someone. For example, people who are exempt may have been victims of crime or might suffer from a mental illness or condition that is not apparent to the outside observer.
There is no legal requirement for people to carry a communication card, though many choose to do so. A communication card has been developed that you can show to transport operators, retailers and service-providers. Communication cards make it easier whenever you need to explain that a face mask is unsuitable for you.
​
Click here for more information

Post-peak plan a safe return to greater normality

23/3/2022

 
The evidence shows we are coming off the Omicron peak with cases in Auckland having already declined significantly, and a decline expected nationally by early April.
To date we have had more than 500,000 reported cases of COVID-19 and expert modellers say there have probably been 1.7 million actual infections. That figure, coupled with 95 percent of New Zealanders being fully vaccinated, means we now have a high level of collective immunity.
New Zealanders have worked incredibly hard to get through this pandemic and as a result of those efforts we are now in a position to move forward and change the way we do things.
First up we have simplified the COVID-19 Protection Framework to target restrictions at those activities that reduce transmission the most.
Click here to read the full update

Rapid antigen tests more widely available in schools and early learning

16/3/2022

 
Nearly a million more rapid antigen tests are being made available and easier to access in schools and early learning centres from today.Schools, kura and early learning centres will now be provided with rapid antigen tests to give to symptomatic children, young people and staff, and the people in their households.
The Ministry of Education currently has several hundred thousand tests to hand and will receive nearly a million more over the next week to be distributed through its regional offices. Schools, kura and early learning services can opt-in to receive a supply of tests.

​Click here to read the full update


Government reopens New Zealand for tourism

16/3/2022

 
The opening of the border to tourists has been brought forward, in a move that will help accelerate the economic recovery from COVID-19.The Government is bringing forward the date for opening the border to tourists in time for the Australian school holidays, in a move that will help accelerate the economic recovery from COVID-19.
From 11:59pm Tuesday 12 April, Australians will be able to travel to New Zealand isolation-free, and then 2 and a half weeks later from 11:59pm Sunday 1 May, vaccinated travellers from visa-waiver countries such as the large tourist markets of the UK, US, Japan, Germany, Korea and Singapore, and those with valid visitor visas, will be able to arrive.

Click here to read the full update


MIQ to wind down as borders reopen

10/3/2022

 
With New Zealand now reopening to the world without the requirement to isolate for most, there is a significantly reduced demand for MIQ. This of course means that we no longer need the number of facilities we currently have.

By the end of June, 28 of the current 32 facilities will leave the MIQ network and return to being hotels.

Many staff, who have done an incredible and tireless job over the last two years, have already begun going back to their roles in the health, defence and police workforces.

Click here to read the full update


Isolation period reduced from 10 to 7 days; third vaccine becomes available

9/3/2022

 
The isolation period for COVID-19 cases and their household contacts will be reduced from 10 to 7 days.
  • COVID-19 cases and Household Contacts to isolate for a week
  • Two negative rapid antigen tests required for household contacts
  • 250,000 Novavax vaccines here, people can book from tomorrow.
We remain committed to reducing the spread of Omicron to protect our health system and each other. However high case numbers and household contacts, and the current 10 day isolation requirement, is having a wider impact on many parts of our lives.
There needs to be a balance between effectively controlling the outbreak and the flow-on effect for business and essential goods and services such as transport and food supply.
The most up to date public health advice is that there is a decline in infectiousness of Omicron over time, and that in most cases transmission occurs within 7 days.
Our primary objective is to stop the chain of transmission as much as possible to manage the spread of Omicron. 7 days isolation will break the vast majority of potential transmissions, while ensuring people can get back to work quicker and therefore reducing the impact on business operations.”

The change will come into effect from 11:59pm Friday 11 March.

Click here to read the full update



Emergency Ambulance Services Face Highest 111 Call Volumes

8/3/2022

 
Emergency ambulance services across New Zealand have recorded the highest ever call volumes to the 111 ambulance communications centres over the weekend.At its peak on Sunday, St John and Wellington Free Ambulance recorded 2,322 calls for help nationwide into its ambulance communications centres in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch -- about 100 more calls a day than the previous record.
With high staff absentees due to illness across the ambulance communications centres and call volumes expected to remain high, anyone calling 111 for an ambulance can expect a delay before their call is answered.
With the increase in demand impacting ambulance staff in the 111 communications centres and on the frontline, St John and Wellington Free Ambulance are asking the public to only phone 111 for an ambulance in genuine emergencies.

If people are feeling unwell, or need health advice, they should call their regular health provider -- for example, their GP, Healthline, or use our website and consider alternative methods of transport to medical facilities for non-urgent conditions.

Click here for the full update



Number of Rapid Antigen Test collection sites to increase

7/3/2022

 
More Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) collection points are being established in some of our biggest cities to meet continued demand.On Saturday, 34,000 RAT orders were placed through the RAT requester site. Another 3.5 million RATs were sent out to collection sites around the country on Sunday. A total of a further 8 million RATs arrived in the country over the weekend.
The Ministry is working with DHBs so that 90% of the population will be able to collect their pre-ordered RAT within a 20 minute driving distance if they are symptomatic or in a household with someone with symptoms.
To meet this goal, there are already 300 collection points across the country and more are planned for this week.

Click here to read the full update

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