An Auckland MIQ worker has returned a positive test result as part of routine testing and the Ministry of Health confirmed on Sunday that the worker has caught the Omicron variant.
The worker was infectious from 10 January and took two bus services in Auckland and visited a supermarket and four other stores in the city. Those locations, and areas of the MIQ facility are considered high-risk, and the Ministry of Health says anyone in Auckland with symptoms should get tested.
The latest locations of interest can be found here: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-public/contact-tracing-covid-19/covid-19-contact-tracing-locations-interest
More than 75 close contacts have so far been identified. The case and one household contact are now isolating in a MIQ facility. The remaining household contacts are isolating at locations in Auckland and Taupō. A further 48 close contacts are in the process of being contacted; some have already returned a negative test, including five in Taupō.
The Omicron variant has spread worldwide rapidly and is now present in more than 70 countries. Early evidence suggests that it is likely to be more transmissible than previous variants of the COVID-19 virus, including Delta.
Lessons from the Omicron outbreak in NSW
According to Australian media, many supermarkets in New South Wales have had empty shelves for weeks due to not having enough staff to drive goods to stores or pack the shelves. The reason for the lack of staff is the Omicron outbreak in Australia, which is keeping thousands of workers at home sick or in self-isolation.
To get Australian supermarket shelves restocked, Australian Transport Workers Union national secretary Michael Kaine asked the Australian government for better access to the rapid antigen test for truck drivers. He said around 30-50% of drivers were absent on any given day because of Covid-19. He said until there was ready access to the test, stocks on supermarket shelves would be low.
Plans for NZ
In response to the news from Australia, New Zealand Road Transport Forum Chief Executive Nick Leggett said he wants to see an Omicron supply chain plan from our Government.
The EMA says it has looked at what is happening in Australia and other countries and concluded that rapid antigen testing (RATs) is what is going to keep New Zealand open for business and avoiding the “big sick” for our workforce. Chief Executive Brett O’Riley says nasal swabbing and COVID-19 tracking systems in Australia are overwhelmed by the Omicron COVID-19 variant, and we need to have a variety of Rapid Antigen Tests stockpiled ready for use in businesses, homes and public facilities.
“The spread of this new, more virulent, strain is unfortunately inevitable and it’s impossible for businesses to put effective plans in place to continue to operate unless they can test staff quickly, easily and cost-effectively. We need RATs to minimise infection transmission in the workplace and to enable access across our international borders for returning New Zealanders and skilled migrants,” he says.
O’Riley says that currently access to RATs is restricted and you pay for them yourself, but the Government needs to immediately ease this by approving the test kits for wider use, funding kits, and not missing out on more opportunities for easy access to supply.
O’Riley is very concerned that despite indications by senior government Ministers that RATs would be widely available in November last year, they are still not being given the required urgency for distribution.
For companies in New Zealand – including EMA business members – who are using the small number of available RATs it is working well. But the current process is not an option for all businesses because of the lack of kit availability and costs.
Meanwhile, Countdown has a vaccine mandate for all of its staff in place as of Monday this week.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the government is asking everybody who is eligible to please be up to date with their vaccinations. “We’ve brought forward boosters because we know it has an impact in protecting people from severe illness with Omicron, so please if you’re eligible, go out and get your booster and help us prepare.”
Ardern said the current “traffic light settings” will be reviewed this week.
Some helpful information and updates are available here:
https://covid19.govt.nz/news-and-data/
https://covid19.govt.nz/testing-and-tracing/
https://covid19.govt.nz/prepare-and-stay-safe/be-prepared-for-covid-19/
