Covid 19 Omicron: NZ moves to phase 2 tomorrow - what does that mean for Kiwis?

Phase 2 of the Government's Omicron response will come into force from 11.59pm tomorrow as case numbers continue to surge.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed at her post-Cabinet press conference that a phase of "greater self-management" would soon commence, after a record 981 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the community earlier today.

But what does the second part of the strategy include?

According to Ardern, self-isolation periods for positive Covid cases and close contacts will be reduced and there will be greater use of rapid antigen tests to get critical workers back to work faster.

The objective is to slow down the spread and to protect vulnerable communities - those who are at greater risk of severe illness, as stated on the Unite Against Covid-19 website.

Self-isolation periods will reduce from 14 to 10 days for cases and from 10 to seven days for contacts.

Household contacts will actively be managed by contact tracing services, with close contacts requiring a PCR test on day 5.

Alongside PCR tests, rapid antigen tests will be integrated to implement a return-to-work policy where asymptomatic contacts who are critical workers can return to work following a negative RAT test.

These people include healthcare, food supply and infrastructure workers who are key to Covid-19 response.

Cases will be notified via text message and be directed to an online self-investigation tool that will focus on high-risk exposures, further information will be provided by email and where required phone-based interviews will take place.

Last month at the beginning of New Zealand's Omicron outbreak, the Government put into action the three-phased plan to combat the spread of the virus in the community.

The country moved back into the red traffic light setting on January 23 which then became phase 1 three days later alongside the Government's three-phase plan announcement.

Director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said a move to phase 2 would be triggered by case numbers, the rate by which case numbers increase by and pressure on contact tracing.

The system would be adjusted to focus on identifying those who are at greater risk of severe illness.

"What we would expect is that phase would be [brought in] before we hit 1000 cases a day, but we will be taking into consideration a whole range of factors."