Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: 717 schools and ECEs dealing with Covid cases

Primary schools like Edmonton Primary in Te Atatu have taken many steps to slow the spread of Covid such as learning outdoors and staggering break times. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

One in five New Zealand schools is now dealing with at least one Covid case, as the country moves into a new phase of pandemic management.

Data from the Ministry of Education shows 549 schools or kura are managing at least one active Covid case, out of just over 2500 schools in New Zealand.

A further 168 early childhood education centres (ECEs) were also dealing with a case, according to the data, a snapshot taken at 10.30am today.

The schools included 370 primaries, 45 intermediates and 134 secondary schools.

The country's move to phase 3 of its Omicron response tonight will mean schools no longer have to identify close contacts of cases, though they must still report cases to officials, the ministry says.

In total 717 education facilities are now dealing with Covid, up from 447 on Monday. The rise comes as overall community cases climb - on Monday New Zealand had 2365 cases in the community, while today it had 6137.

Auckland accounts for 445 of the affected education facilities, including 119 ECEs, 234 primaries, 29 intermediates and 63 secondary schools.

Outside Auckland, Wellington and Waikato are the worst affected, with each having 72 education facilities affected.

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Despite the increase in schools dealing with cases, it's still not clear if they are adding to the spread of the virus.

Auckland Primary Principals' Association president Stephen Lethbridge said he wasn't aware of any significant transmission within primary schools.

Health officials were advising that it was difficult to transmit the virus within schools, given the health measures that were being taken, Lethbridge said.

There could be a perception of transmission but it was more likely to be mixing in the community, he said.

Schools were taking extra precautions such as split break times and separate playgrounds, but once kids left school they could be playing with friends or practising sport and that was where mingling occurred.

"That's not saying there won't be in-school transmission, but it might not be significant, especially in the primary and intermediate areas."

Adult-to-adult transmission was more likely, which was why schools were trying to avoid big staff meetings. "Those things could run under the red conditions ... but most schools are opting to not do that," he said. "We're trying to preserve staff because we need to keep our schools open."

With the move to phase 3 imminent, Lethbridge wanted parents to know schools were still paying attention to public health measures.

"It's not a free-for-all. It's not that we're giving up - it's that contact tracing rules have changed. However, we are maintaining the conditions to minimise and mitigate transmission in schools."

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Phase 3 changes school requirements

In phase 2 of the Omicron response, schools and ECEs with a positive case have been responsible for much of the contact tracing work, including identifying close contacts.

But from midnight tonight, the move to phase 3 means that process will become much easier, with no requirement to identify close contacts in schools or early learning centres.

The Ministry of Education told schools tonight that only household contacts needed to isolate. Other contacts just had to monitor for symptoms, and stay home and get tested if any developed.

"We recommend that you remind all staff, students, children, parents and caregivers to monitor for symptoms at all times. This will remove the need to individually remind people who may have come in contact with a case to do so," the ministry newsletter said.

With cases now meant to identify their own close contacts, staff, students and parents should notify the school if they or their child was positive at school.

Schools would still need to advise their regional office of any positive case connected with the school, but no longer had to identify or keep records of close contacts.

"While you may want to keep your community informed of every case, there is no expectation that you do so. You will know your communities best and what works for them."

• Correction: This story and heading originally contained an incorrect figure, saying 770 schools and ECEs are dealing with Covid cases. The correct figure is 717.