Update: Omicron Outbreak
With Omicron now in the community, it is important that businesses prepare for disruption during Vintage 2022. Businesses should update their safety plans and implement the most stringent control measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 and minimise the number of workers that could be characterized as close contacts if a case was to occur. Updated guidance about updating your safety plan, including recommended controls to minimise the risk of a worker being classified as a close contact, is available below.
Under Phase 1 of the Omicron response, isolation periods have been extended and are now at least 14 days (including 72 hours symptom-free) for a positive case and 10 days for close contacts. Household members of positive cases must remain in isolation for 10 days after the positive case has been released from isolation. Under Phases 2 and 3 isolation periods will reduce to 10 days for a positive case and 7 days for a close contact.
NZW understands that the isolation requirements are particularly challenging for members. We are urgently working on guidance about how people can return to work if they contract COVID-19 or are a close contact. This guidance will depend on the phase of the Omicron response as well as other matters we are discussing with Government (e.g., rapid antigen testing).
Further details about the Government’s three phase approach to Omicron, isolation requirements, rapid antigen testing and mask wearing is available in the traffic light guidance below.
We will continue to update our guidance as further information becomes available.