April 12, 2023
Covid restrictions stay as winter looms
Covid-19 settings will remain the same for the next two months, but there could be minor changes to relieve workforce pressures.
The seven-day isolation period for cases will remain for now, but cabinet asked for more work on whether people who are not symptomatic or are mild cases can return to work earlier once they test negative.
Health Minister Ayesha Verrall says staying home if unwell and wearing masks in healthcare settings remains key to minimising the impact of COVID-19 and reducing pressure on the health system over winter.
Isolation is the best way to break the chain of transmission to make sure people aren’t passing on the virus and getting other people sick.
She also urged people to get the new bivalent vaccine when they become eligible.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says the country was heading towards a situation where Covid-19 could be seen as yet another illness, but it is not yet at that point.
In the last week there were 12129 new cases of Covid-19 reported and one death.
On Sunday there were 219 cases in hospital.