Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Government considering advice on shortening isolation rules

The Government is considering expert advice on whether Covid isolation periods can be reduced, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

He wouldn't say what that advice relating to people isolating at home was, but a decision would be made and announced in the next 24 to 48 hours, Hipkins said.

There were 23,894 new Covid-19 cases reported today - with 9081 of them in Auckland.

Director of public health Dr Caroline McElnay said 756 people were in hospital and 16 were in ICU or HDU.

Hipkins said Covid cases had yet to peak. He had full confidence in hospitals being able to manage infection controls and to keep staff safe.

There would be plenty of time to consider changes to the traffic light or vaccine mandate requirements, Hipkins said.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson was asked whether Covid-infected staff should have to take their full allocation of 10 days sick leave or could rely on a leave support system.

He told reporters that the Government wanted to support businesses to continue operating and this required "goodwill" from employers.

NZ Govt support for Ukrainian community

Meanwhile the Government is fast-tracking measure to support Ukrainians to stay in New Zealand or to return here immediately.

Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi said: "New Zealand was one of the first to give humanitarian support to Ukrainians when Russia invaded, and although we know the numbers are small we are fast-tracking support for Ukrainians to remain in or return to New Zealand immediately."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said an estimated 140 Ukrainian nationals in this country with a visa due to expire by the end of the year will be given an automatic 12-month extension.

Faafoi said about 250 Ukrainian nationals offshore with a valid New Zealand visa could come here immediately.

The Government would also consider further border exemptions for wider family members of Ukrainians in New Zealand.

The Government is preparing to push through legislation on Wednesday to allow it to impose sanctions on Russia as a result of the invasion of Ukraine.

MPs held caucus meetings this morning, at which other parties were expected to decide whether to support that legislation. Act and the National Party have both said they would do so, while the Green Party is also expected to support it, but to try to seek some amendments to it.

Ardern will be in Parliament today but Parliament is again meeting part-virtually as the number of MPs with Covid-19 or isolating because of Covid-19 grows.

As of last night, there were at least seven MPs with Covid-19. They include National leader Christopher Luxon, who tested positive yesterday and is isolating at home.

He will ask his question on the cost of living to the Prime Minister by Zoom.

Other MPs with Covid-19 include ministers David Parker and Poto Williams, Labour MP Anahila Kanongataá-Suisuiki, and National MPs Simon Bridges, Joseph Mooney, Penny Simmonds and Stuart Smith.

National will be again focusing on the cost of living in Question Time.

This morning Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark responded to a Commerce Commission report on the supermarket industry.

He said it had shown issues with the industry and the Government would move to make it easier for supermarkets to enter the market through opening up more sites.

Clark said at the moment New Zealand supermarkets operated as a duopoly and there were no new supermarkets looking to enter the sector.

He said these supermarkets were making more than double what was considered a fair rate of return on capital investment, deriving excess profits of around $1 million a day, every day, across New Zealand.