Advice and Information for patients with COVID19 and their contacts

Kia ora,

If you have received a SMS text from us with a positive result, please take your time to read some useful information which will answer most of your questions.

To help us, please use the online resources mentioned or call the COVID-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 in the first instance, if you have mild Omicron symptoms. However, if your medical situation gets worse please contact us immediately.

We will continue to work hard to make sure patients are seen in a timely manner but please be patient and kind to staff if you experience delays. Remember, if it’s an emergency, call 111.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

COVID 19 Information  

Isolation 

• Only confirmed cases are required to isolate. All other contacts are now asked to monitor symptoms but do not have to isolate. Individuals or employers can choose to take additional precautions; it just isn’t mandated. 
• Cases: isolate for 5 days from date of symptom onset or positive test taken if there were no symptoms.  
• Household contacts: Does not need isolation as long as they are asymptomatic. If they are going out, they will need to do a RAT test daily.
• If a household contact develops symptoms they are deemed a probable case and no test is required. However, you can use RAT if available.
• Let your contacts know you have COVID-19 – see https://covid19.health.nz/advice/positive-tell-people. 

Testing 

• PCRs are not required after a positive RAT unless you recently arrived from overseas and the RAT test is positive. 
• A negative RAT is not required for a case to be released from isolation. Cases can self-release after 7 days. Return to work letters are not required. 
• PCR Should not be done for 3months from a recent COVID19 infection
• If a household contact develops symptoms they are deemed a probable case and no test is required. However, you can use RAT if available.

Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs)

• RATs are now the main way to test to see if you have COVID-19. This gives you a result in around 20 minutes.
• You only need to get a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms or live with someone who has COVID-19. Or, if requested by a health official or under a mandatory testing order. The most common symptoms are a sore or scratchy throat and a runny nose.

• RATs are available for purchase through some retail outlets.

• If you do an unsupervised RAT and if it s positive, record at https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/ or call 0800 222 478 and press option 3.
• COVID Related consultations are not free and will be charged as normal unless you are COVID positive and within 7 days of illness.
• Long COVID, Complications of COVID, Negative RAT tests and no longer covered under the COVID funding (From 13th February 2023)

COVID vaccination

• 12 weeks after positive test if there were no symptoms
• 12 weeks after the release date if there were symptoms
• Vaccination helpline for people who needs vaccination who are isolating 0800 282926

Manaaki/Welfare Assistance for Patients 

• MSD can provide support (food and financial assistance) to cases/contacts who are eligible. See Unite Against COVID-19. 
• Patients can contact the free COVID welfare phone line on 0800‑512‑337 (7 days a week).  
• You can also request welfare or disability assistance via your GP

Information for patients, including in other languages and alternate formats 

• You can find a wide variety of COVID-19 information in 27 languages and 4 alternate formats on the Unite Against COVID-19 website.5