The Whanganui Hospital CBAC remains busy. Photo / Bevan Conley
The Whanganui Hospital CBAC remains busy. Photo / Bevan Conley
A Whanganui business leader says moving to phase 3 of managing the Covid-19 Omicron outbreak will be "simpler for many".
And as phase 3 kicks off, the Ministry of Health confirmed 17 more active cases in the Whanganui DHB region on Thursday, bringing the total amount to 76.
Four of those cases were rapid antigen tests, while the remaining 13 were from the more traditional PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests.
Phase 3 of the Government's Omicron response came into effect at 11.59pm on Thursday.
The move means there are thousands of new cases each day across New Zealand, but most people will be able to look after themselves at home.
Whanganui's medical officer of health, Patrick O'Connor, said the Ministry of Health and Public Health would be concentrating on ensuring that household contacts stayed at home.
"We will be maintaining a high level of interest in at-risk situations, such as rest homes," O'Connor said.
"Beyond that, the overriding message is if you know you've had some form of contact with a case, monitor yourself for symptoms.
"If you do get symptoms, isolate and behave responsibly."
In phase 3, people who test positive for Covid-19 will need to isolate for 10 days.
Household close contacts will need to isolate until the person who is positive in the house completes 10 days of isolation.
Household close contacts will need to test on days three and eight, or if symptomatic.
Close contacts who are not living with a Covid-19 case will need to isolate for seven days and test on day five, or if symptomatic.
Rapid antigen tests need to be made freely available, Whanganui Chamber of Commerce chief executive Helen Garner says. Photo / Bevan Conley
Whanganui Chamber of Commerce chief executive, Helen Garner, said the move to Phase 3 would make managing through Covid-19 "simpler for many".
"Nobody underestimates what might come in the next few months, but we are not defeated yet.
"Our businesses are resilient, and we are hearing this week that there is a lot of optimism for the future."
The chamber reiterated its position that it would like to see restrictions on the supply of RATs (rapid antigen tests) removed and they be made freely available, Garner said.
"The majority of businesses are prepared and capable of navigating their way through the spread of Covid-19 in our community, and they should be empowered to do so.
Ensuring a decent supply of RATs would be a key challenge, Te Ranga Tupua Rapid Response Operations co-lead Elijah Pue said.
"That's for the community, GP practices, and iwi health providers.
"Generally, health providers' roles will be diminishing because they won't be able to keep up with the demand, but iwi providers will continue to give support and welfare, and do whatever it takes to service their communities."
Elijah Pue says there is still confusion in the community around what Phase 3 entails. Photo / Supplied
O'Connor said there would be more reliance on RATs than "the gold standard" of PCR tests in the weeks to come.
"You need to have a plan, so you can spend the recommended time at home.
"Self-management is the key. Case numbers are going up and we don't actually know how many undiagnosed cases there are as well.
"It is still very reassuring that the numbers of ICU admissions are relatively small."
Pue said there was still confusion in the community around what phase 3 entailed.
"When people ring us for advice or support, my staff at the very least are well aware of what this means for our people.
"If you need a hand, a kai, if you need your prescription picked up, or you need to talk to someone, Māori health providers are the ones who are going to be continuing our communities, regardless of which phase the Government puts them in."
Vaccination numbers remained steady in the Ruapehu district, but work still needed to be done on testing numbers, Pue said.
