COVID-19 updates
Always use The Ministry of Health website as the source of correct and up to date information
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Copyright © Hauraki Primary Health Organisation | 2020
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Included in this update:
Rapid antigen tests (RATs) In Omicron Phase 2, New Zealand is stepping up its response to slow the spread of the virus. This includes the increased use of Rapid antigen tests (RATs), alongside PCR tests. RATs are a type of test for COVID-19 that are generally taken with a front of nose swab and can be taken under supervision or you can take one for yourself. Click here for the full update - 16th February The latest fact sheet for health professionals on Pregnancy and COVID-19 disease and COVID-19 vaccination is now available. In pregnancy you are at a much higher risk from COVID-19 hospitalisation and intensive care unit admission than nonpregnant people of the same age. Internationally, millions of people have been given the Pfizer vaccine while pregnant and large-scale surveillance data indicate that there are no safety concerns with administering this COVID-19 vaccine in any stage of pregnancy. Click here to read the full article Included in this update:
Now that New Zealand has transitioned to the COVID-19 Protection Framework, (also known as the ‘traffic light’ system) from the previous Alert Level System, the day-to-day operations of health and disability services have changed when there is COVID-19 in the community. Under Alert Level 4 in the previous system, there were stay-at-home orders and lockdowns, where all non-essential health and disability services were required to close. The new COVID-19 Protection Framework does not rely on lockdowns, and all health and disability services and their workers can continue to operate under the COVID-19 Protection Framework, critical or not, during green, amber and red. In response to community transmission of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the Ministry of Health has released a three-phase response. Click here for the full update Most people with COVID-19 (particularly those who are fully vaccinated) are likely to have a mild to moderate illness and will be fine to recover at home. You’ll be given digital tools that you’ll need to look after yourself during this time. For those who need a bit more help, support will be available. Learn about infection and care, isolating at home, what to expect and care in the community. On this page:
Click here to read the full update This document provides guidance for situations where service provision will be at risk of substantial compromise due to staff absence related to Omicron infection or exposure. This guidance covers:
Click here for more workplace guidance documents 02 Feb 2022 A million more New Zealanders over 18 will be eligible for their booster from this Friday, 4 February 2022.Cabinet has considered advice from the Director-General of Health and the COVID-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group and decided to reduce the interval between a person’s primary vaccination course and the booster from 4 months to 3 months – starting this Friday, 4 February 2022. This is a significant step in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic as it now means a total of 3,063,823 people aged 18 and over – two thirds of our population – will be eligible for their booster from this weekend. Over 1.3 million people have already got theirs. The Government is urging every New Zealander who is eligible for a booster to get it as soon as possible. We are in a race against Omicron and the more people who are boosted the more we can reduce the impact of the outbreak. Click here to read the full media release 2/02/2022 Government secures purchase of 20 million rapid antigen tests from Kudu Spectrum for the Orient Gene RAT to be delivered over February and March.
The Government has secured the delivery of enough rapid antigen tests (RATs) to help New Zealand through a widespread Omicron outbreak in the coming months. Last week and over the weekend the Government has been in contact with a variety of rapid antigen test manufacturers. Those efforts have resulted in securing an additional 36 million tests for delivery over the next two months which corresponds with a predicted rise in Omicron cases. Click here to read the full media release 1/02/2022 Rapid antigen tests, often abbreviated ‘RAT’, are generally taken with a front of nose swab and detect the presence of specific proteins on the outer portion of the virus, such as the spike protein. This is different from the RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) test currently widely used in New Zealand which detects genetic material called RNA. Samples used for RT-PCR tests are collected with nasopharyngeal swabs, a combination oral and nasal swab (oropharyngeal anterior nares), or saliva. Click below to learn more: The Delta and Omicron COVID-19 variants are highly transmissible, so we need to use a range of measures and tools to protect us from infection. Wearing masks is an important tool that can be used to help minimise the direct spread of the virus in infected particles and droplets. This occurs when an infected person speaks, laughs, coughs, sneezes or breathes (read more on how COVID-19 spreads). For effective protection, it is essential that any mask used is well-fitting, used correctly, worn consistently and according to guidelines and instructions for their use. Find the mask that best fits to cover your nose, mouth, and chin without gaps above, below or on the sides. Click below to learn more: See also: |
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