COVID-19 UPDATE 11th March 2022 – changes to Isolation requirements

COVID-19 Update 11.03.2022: Changes to isolation requirements

Kia Ora

From 11:59pm tonight Friday 11 March isolation requirements for positive cases of COVID-19 and their household contacts will be reduced from 10 to seven days.

This change has been made due to up-to-date public health advice: there is a decline in infectiousness of Omicron over time and in most cases, transmission occurs within seven days.

 From 11.59pm Friday 11 March, all cases and household contacts who are currently isolating can end their period of isolation after Day 7. Those currently in isolation will not have to complete their Days 8, 9 and 10 of isolation.

 What does this mean for you and your child?

If your child tests positive:

• Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate for seven days.
• Day 0 is the day symptoms began or the day the test was taken (whichever came first)
• Cases will isolate for a full seven days and are free to return to school on Day 8, if they are not symptomatic.
• Should not return to school if they are still feeling unwell.

If your child is a household contact:

• Household contacts are required to isolate for the same seven days as the case.
• Household contacts will be required to take a self-administered rapid antigen test (RAT) on Day 3 and Day 7 of the case’s isolation period.
• If all test results have been negative, and they are not symptomatic, they can return to school on Day 8. 
• Household contacts should continue to self-monitor for symptoms up to Day 10.

 If symptoms develop at any time during isolation:

• the usual advice remains in place to undertake an additional RAT
• if the test is negative and symptoms persist or worsen, test again 48 hours after that negative test
• if symptoms resolve there is no need for a further test until the required Day 7 test. If this is negative, they can return to daily life on Day 8.

If a household contact has new symptoms on the day of release:

• they should undertake an additional RAT and stay at home while unwell
• If that test is negative and symptoms persist or worsen, test again after 48 hours. If symptoms resolve, there is no need for a further test.